Master/slave registration and control for teleoperation

ABSTRACT

A teleoperated system comprises a display, a master input device, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine an orientation of an end effector reference frame relative to a field of view reference frame, determine an orientation of a master input device reference frame relative to a display reference frame, establish an alignment relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame, and command, based on the alignment relationship, a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device. The alignment relationship is independent of a position relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame. In one aspect, the teleoperated system is a telemedical system such as a telesurgical system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application62/587,175 filed Nov. 16, 2017, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure is generally related to teleoperated systems, andmore specifically to spatial registration and control in teleoperatedsystems.

Background

Examples of teleoperated systems include industrial and recreationalsystems. Examples of teleoperated systems also include medicalteleoperated systems used in procedures for diagnosis, non-surgicaltreatment, surgical treatment, etc. A teleoperated, robotic medicalsystem usable for telesurgery or other telemedical procedures caninclude one or more remotely controllable robotic manipulators. In someimplementations, the remotely controllable robotic manipulators may alsobe configured to be manually articulated or moved.

A minimally invasive, robotic, telesurgical system is a specific exampleof a teleoperated system that enables surgeons to perform surgicalprocedures on a patient by using some form of remote control ofinstrument movement, instead of directly holding and moving theinstruments by hand. Surgical systems that incorporate robotictechnology under at least partial computer control to perform minimallyinvasive surgery have extended the benefits of minimally invasivesurgery. For example, certain surgical procedures that would bedifficult or impossible with manually operated minimally invasivesurgical tools may be made possible with the use of such surgicalsystems. An example of such surgical systems is the da Vinci ® SurgicalSystems commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.,U.S.A.

To establish the required control relationship between a master inputdevice (also called “master control device” or “master device”) and thecorresponding tool for a conventional teleoperated system, the kinematicposes of the master control device and of the tool are determined inthree-dimensional (3D) space. In the da Vinci Xi® Surgical Systemscommercialized by Intuitive Surgical, the patient-side unit offers aknown and defined kinematic structure that allows the tool's pose to bedetermined. Likewise, the surgeon's console offers a known and definedkinematic structure on which the master input device pose can bedetermined. New teleoperated system architectures may lack a singlemechanical base common to the tools that can be used in determining thekinematic relationships among the tools. Similarly, new teleoperatedsystem architectures may lack a mechanical base common to the masterinput devices that can be used to determine the kinematic relationshipsamong the master input devices, or between the master input device(s)and other equipment such as a display. Thus, there is a need to forimproved spatial registration and control in teleoperated systems.

SUMMARY

The following summary introduces certain aspects of the inventivesubject matter in order to provide a basic understanding. This summaryis not an extensive overview of the inventive subject matter, and it isnot intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate thescope of the inventive subject matter. Although this summary containsinformation that is relevant to various aspects and embodiments of theinventive subject matter, its purpose is to present some aspects andembodiments in a general form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription below.

In an aspect, a teleoperated system includes an imaging device, an endeffector, a display, a master input device, and a computer controlsystem. The imaging device has a field of view. Reference frames aredefined for the field of view, the end effector, the display, and themaster input device. The control system determines complete orientationinformation for the reference frames, but less than full positioninformation for the reference frames. Complete orientation informationis also called full orientation information, and full positioninformation is also called complete position information. In one aspect,the control system does not determine any position information about thereference frames. In another aspect, the control system determinespartial position information about the reference frames. The controlsystem establishes a master/slave control relationship between themaster device and the end effector by using the complete orientationinformation of the reference frames, but less than complete positioninformation (partial position information or no position information)for the reference frames.

In various aspects, the teleoperated system includes various ways todetermine the complete orientation information of the reference frames,and also to determine the less than complete position information of thereference frames as applicable. These ways include the use of one ormore of a temporary localized mechanical relationship between a pair ofteleoperated system units, a fixed-sensor locator system, afixed-feature locator system, a simultaneous localization and mappingsystem, a machine vision system that uses images from the imagingdevice, an optical fiber shape sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetometer,a gyroscope, a vibration detector, and a vibration injector.

In an aspect, a teleoperated system comprises a display, a master inputdevice, and a control system. The control system comprises one or moreprocessors and a memory. The memory comprising programmed instructionsadapted to cause the one or more processors to perform operations. Theoperations comprise determining an orientation of an end-effectorreference frame relative to a field-of-view reference frame, determiningan orientation of an input-device reference frame relative to a displayreference frame, establishing an alignment relationship, and commanding(based on the alignment relationship) a change in a pose of the endeffector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device.The end effector reference frame is defined for an end effector of atool, and the field of view reference frame is moveable relative to thefield-of-view reference frame and defined for a field of view of animaging device. The input-device reference frame is defined for themaster input device, and the display reference frame is defined for theimage. The alignment relationship comprises anend-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship or aninput-device-to-display alignment relationship, where theend-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship is between theend-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame andis independent of a position relationship between the end-effectorreference frame and the field-of-view reference frame, and where theinput-device-to-display alignment relationship is between theinput-device reference frame and the display reference frame and isindependent of a position relationship between the input-devicereference frame and the display reference frame.

In an aspect, a method for operating a medical system comprisesdetermining an orientation of an end-effector reference frame relativeto a field-of-view reference frame, determining an orientation of aninput-device reference frame relative to a display reference frame,establishing an alignment relationship, and commanding (based on thealignment relationship) a change in a pose of the end effector inresponse to a change in a pose of the master input device. The endeffector reference frame is moveable relative to the field-of-viewreference frame and is defined for an end effector of a tool, and thefield of view reference frame is defined for a field of view of animaging device. The input-device reference frame is defined for a masterinput device of the medical system, and the display reference frame isdefined for a display of the medical system. The alignment relationshipcomprises an end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship or aninput-device-to-display alignment relationship, where theend-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship is between theend-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame andindependent of a position relationship between the end-effectorreference frame and the field-of-view reference frame, and where theinput-device-to-display alignment relationship is independent of aposition relationship between the master input device reference frameand the display reference frame.

In an aspect, a teleoperated system comprises a display, a masterdevice, and a control system. A display reference frame is defined forthe display, a and a master-device reference frame is defined for themaster device. The control system comprises a memory storinginstructions that, when executed by the control system, cause thecontrol system to perform operations. The operations comprise:determining a complete orientation of a field-of-view reference frame,determining a complete orientation of an end effector reference frame,determining a complete orientation of the display reference frame,determining a complete orientation of the master-device reference frame,establishing a teleoperated master/slave control relationship betweenthe master device and the end effector, and executing the master/slavecontrol relationship between the master device and the end effector. Thefield-of-view reference frame is defined for a field of view of animaging device, and the end-effector reference frame is defined for anend effector of a tool. Establishing the teleoperated master/slavecontrol relationship comprises establishing an alignment relationship.The alignment relationship comprises an end-effector-to-field-of-viewalignment relationship or a master-device-to-display alignmentrelationship, where the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignmentrelationship is between the end-effector reference frame and thefield-of-view reference frame and is based on less than completeposition information relating the end-effector reference frame and thefield-of-view reference frame, and where the master-device-to-displayalignment relationship is between the master device reference frame andthe display reference frame and is based on less than complete positioninformation relating the master-device reference frame and the displayreference frame. Executing the master/control relationships compriseschanging a pose of the end effector corresponding to a change in a poseof the master device.

In an aspect, the alignment relationship is between the master-devicereference frame and the display reference frame and is based on: thecomplete orientation of the master device reference frame, the completeorientation of the display reference frame, and less than completeposition information relating the master device reference frame and thedisplay reference frame.

In an aspect, a telesurgical system comprises means to determine acomplete orientation of a field of view reference frame, means todetermine a complete orientation of an end effector reference frame,means to determine a complete orientation of a display reference frameof a display on which an image of the end effector is displayed when thesurgical end effector is within the field of view of the endoscopiccamera, means to determine a complete orientation of a master devicereference frame of a master device, means to establish a teleoperatedmaster/slave control relationship between the master device and thesurgical end effector, and means to execute the master/slave controlrelationship between the master device and the end effector. The fieldof view reference frame is defined for a field of view of a imagingdevice, and the end effector reference frame is defined for a surgicalend effector. The means to establish the teleoperated master/slavecontrol relationship establishes such relationship by establishing analignment relationship between the master device reference frame and thedisplay reference frame. The alignment relationship between the masterdevice reference frame and the display reference frame is based on thecomplete orientation of the master device reference frame and thecomplete orientation of the display reference frame, and is independentof a position relationship between the master device reference frame andthe display reference frame. The means to executing the master/controlrelationship executes such relationship by changing a pose of the endeffector corresponding to a change in a pose of the master device.

In an aspect, a non-transitory machine-readable medium comprises aplurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one ormore processors associated with a medical device are adapted to causethe one or more processors to perform any of the operations or methodsdescribed herein.

The aspects described herein may further comprise none, any one, or anycombination of the following.

In some aspects, the alignment relationship comprises theend-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship. In some aspects,the alignment relationship comprises the master-device-to-displayalignment relationship.

In some aspects, the alignment relationship is a first alignmentrelationship, and the operations further comprise establishing a secondalignment relationship, where the second alignment relationshipcomprises the input-device-to-display alignment relationship where thefirst alignment relationship comprises the end-effector-to-field-of-viewalignment relationship, and where the second alignment relationshipcomprises the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship wherethe first alignment relationship comprises the input-device-to-displayalignment relationship where the alignment relationship.

In some aspects, the operations (or method) further compriseestablishing a teleoperated master-slave control relationship based onthe alignment relationship.

In some aspects, determining an orientation of an end effector referenceframe relative to a field of view reference frame comprises: determininga complete orientation of the field of view reference frame, anddetermining a complete orientation of the end effector reference frame.In some aspects, determining an orientation of a master input devicereference frame relative to a display reference frame comprises:determining a complete orientation of the display reference frame, anddetermining a complete orientation of the master input device referenceframe.

In some aspects, the operations (or method) do not comprise determiningthe complete position of at least one reference frame selected from thegroup consisting of: the field of view reference frame, the end effectorreference frame, the display reference frame, and the master inputdevice reference frame. In some aspects, the operations (or method) donot comprise determining a complete position of the end effectorreference frame relative to the field of view reference frame. In someaspects, the operations (or method) do not comprise determining acomplete position of the master input device reference frame relative tothe display reference frame. In some aspects, the operations (or method)further comprise determining less than a complete position of the endeffector reference frame relative to the field of view reference frame.In some aspects, the operations (or method) further comprise determiningless than a complete position of the master input device reference framerelative to the display reference frame.

In some aspects, the system is a teleoperated medical system, and thetool is a medical tool. In various aspects, the medical tool is adiagnostic tool or a treatment tool. In some aspects, the system is atelesurgical system, and the tool is a surgical tool.

In some aspects, the system further comprises a manipulator armconfigured to removably support the tool, the manipulator arm comprisinga plurality of joints and a plurality of links. In some aspects,commanding the change in the pose of the end effector comprises using orcommanding the manipulator arm to change the pose of the end effector.

In some aspects, establishing the alignment relationship comprises:establishing the alignment relationship in response to an indication tobegin teleoperation. In some aspects, the indication to beginteleoperation comprises receiving a user command to begin teleoperation.In some aspects, the indication to begin teleoperation comprises an exitfrom a clutch mode. In some aspects, in the clutch mode the master-slavecontrol relationship is temporarily suspended. In some aspects, in theclutch mode the control system does not command the change in a pose ofthe end effector in response to the change in the pose of the masterinput device.

In some aspects, the operations (or method) further comprise: updatingthe alignment relationship. In some aspects, updating the alignmentrelationship comprises: updating the alignment relationship whileexecuting the master/slave control relationship. In some aspects,updating the alignment relationship comprises: updating the alignmentrelationship at a predetermined time interval.

In some aspects, the system is a telesurgical system comprising theimaging device and the tool having the end effector. The imaging devicecomprises an endoscopic camera, and the tool comprises a surgical tool.

In some aspects, less than complete position information is no positioninformation relating the master device reference frame and the displayreference frame. In an aspect, less than complete position informationis partial position information relating the master device referenceframe and the display reference frame.

In some aspects, the operations (or method) further comprise determiningpartial position information of at least one reference frame. Thereference frame is selected from the group consisting of: the field ofview reference frame, the end effector reference frame, the displayreference frame, and the master device reference frame.

In some aspects, changing a pose of the end effector corresponding to achange in a pose of the master device comprises: changing a direction ofmovement of the end effector corresponding to a change in direction ofmovement of the master device.

In some aspects, the system further comprises means to determine spatialposition between two or more units of the system, or further comprise aspatial determining system, incorporating one or more of: a temporarylocalized mechanical relationship between a pair of teleoperated systemunits, a fixed-sensor locator system, a fixed-feature locator system, asimultaneous localization and mapping system, a machine vision systemthat uses images from the imaging device, an optical fiber shape sensor,an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a vibration detector, anda vibration injector.

Implementations and aspects are often described in terms of atelesurgical system, but they are not limited to telesurgical systems.Implementations in various other teleoperated systems are contemplated,including without limitation teleoperated systems with military,research, material handling applications, safety, emergency, andmanufacturing applications. Thus, the techniques disclosed apply tomedical and non-medical procedures, and to medical and non-medical tools(e.g., manipulation tools or cameras). For example, the cameras or othertools, systems, and methods of any of the embodiments described hereinmay be used for non-medical purposes including industrial uses, generalrobotic uses, and sensing or manipulating non-tissue work pieces. Otherexample applications involve cosmetic improvements, imaging of human oranimal anatomy, gathering data from human or animal anatomy, setting upor taking down the system, and training medical or non-medicalpersonnel. Additional example applications include use for procedures ontissue removed from human or animal anatomies (without return to a humanor animal anatomy), and performing procedures on human or animalcadavers. Further, these techniques can also be used for medicaltreatment or diagnosis procedures that do, or do not, include surgicalaspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a telesurgical system.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a telesurgical system patient-side unit.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a teleoperated surgical tool.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a user control unit.

FIGS. 5A-5J are schematic views of various teleoperated systemarchitectures, spatial alignments, and associated control aspects.

FIG. 6A is a schematic view that illustrates various spatialdetermination methods in a teleoperated system.

FIGS. 6B-6C are diagrammatic views that illustrate a determination ofmagnetic bearing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This description and the accompanying drawings that illustrate inventiveaspects, embodiments, implementations, or applications should not betaken as limiting—the claims define the protected invention. Variousmechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operationalchanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thisdescription and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits,structures, or techniques have not been shown or described in detail inorder not to obscure the invention. Like numbers in two or more figuresrepresent the same or similar elements.

Further, specific words chosen to describe one or more embodiments andoptional elements or features are not intended to limit the invention.For example, spatially relative terms—such as “beneath”, “below”,“lower”, “above”, “upper”, “proximal”, “distal”, and the like—may beused to describe one element's or feature's relationship to anotherelement or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatiallyrelative terms are intended to encompass different positions (i.e.,translational placements) and orientations (i.e., rotational placements)of a device in use or operation in addition to the position andorientation shown in the figures. For example, if a device in thefigures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” otherelements or features would then be “above” or “over” the other elementsor features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass bothpositions and orientations of above and below. A device may be otherwiseoriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thespatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.Likewise, descriptions of movement along (translation) and around(rotation) various axes includes various special device positions andorientations. The combination of a body's position and orientationdefine the body's “pose.”

Similarly, geometric terms, such as “parallel”, “perpendicular”,“round”, or “square”, are not intended to require absolute mathematicalprecision, unless the context indicates otherwise. Instead, suchgeometric terms allow for variations due to manufacturing or equivalentfunctions. For example, if an element is described as “round” or“generally round”, a component that is not precisely circular (e.g., onethat is slightly oblong or is a many-sided polygon) is still encompassedby this description. The words “including” or “having” mean includingbut not limited to.

It should be understood that although this description is made to besufficiently clear, concise, and exact, scrupulous and exhaustivelinguistic precision is not always possible or desirable. For example,considering a video signal, a skilled reader will understand that anoscilloscope described as displaying the signal does not display thesignal itself but a representation of the signal, and that a videomonitor described as displaying a signal does not display the signalitself but the video information the signal carries.

In addition, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context indicatesotherwise. And, the terms “comprises”, “includes”, “has”, and the likespecify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements,and/or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one ormore other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups. And, the or each of the one or more individual listed itemsshould be considered optional unless otherwise stated, so that variouscombinations of items are described without an exhaustive list of eachpossible combination. The auxiliary verb may likewise imply that afeature, step, operation, element, or component is optional.

Elements described in detail with reference to one embodiment,implementation, or application optionally may be included, wheneverpractical, in other embodiments, implementations, or applications inwhich they are not specifically shown or described. For example, if anelement is described in detail with reference to one embodiment and isnot described with reference to a second embodiment, the element maynevertheless be claimed as included in the second embodiment. Thus, toavoid unnecessary repetition in the following description, one or moreelements shown and described in association with one embodiment,implementation, or application may be incorporated into otherembodiments, implementations, or aspects unless specifically describedotherwise, unless the one or more elements would make an embodiment orimplementation non-functional, or unless two or more of the elementsprovide conflicting functions.

Elements described as coupled (e.g., mechanically, electrically, incommunication, and the like) may be directly coupled, or they may beindirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components unlessotherwise specified.

Inventive aspects are described in part in terms of an implementationusing a da Vinci® Surgical System, commercialized by Intuitive Surgical,Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. Examples of such surgical systems are the daVinci X® Surgical System (Model IS4200), the da Vinci Xi® SurgicalSystem (Model IS4000), and the da Vinci Si® Surgical System (ModelIS3000). Knowledgeable persons will understand, however, that inventiveaspects disclosed herein may be embodied and implemented in variousways, including computer-assisted and hybrid combinations of manual andcomputer-assisted embodiments and implementations. Implementations on daVinci® Surgical Systems are merely exemplary and are not to beconsidered as limiting the scope of the inventive aspects. For example,the techniques disclosed apply to medical and non-medical procedures,and to medical and non-medical tools (e.g., manipulation tools orcameras). For example, the tools (e.g., manipulation tools or cameras),systems, and methods of any of the embodiments described herein may beused for non-medical purposes including industrial uses, general roboticuses, and sensing or manipulating non-tissue work pieces. Other exampleapplications involve cosmetic improvements, imaging of human or animalanatomy, gathering data from human or animal anatomy, setting up ortaking down the system, and training medical or non-medical personnel.Additional example applications include use for procedures on tissueremoved from human or animal anatomies (without return to a human oranimal anatomy), and performing procedures on human or animal cadavers.Further, these techniques can also be used for medical treatment ordiagnosis procedures that do, or do not, include surgical aspects.

Persons of skill in the art will understand that a computer is a machinethat follows programmed instructions to perform mathematical or logicalfunctions on input information to produce processed output information.A computer includes a logical calculation unit that performs themathematical or logical functions, and a memory system that stores theprogrammed instructions, the input information, and the outputinformation. The term “computer” and similar terms, such as “processor”or “controller” or “control system”, should be considered synonymous.Persons of skill in the art will understand that a computer's functionmay be centralized or distributed among two or more locations, and itmay be implemented in various combinations of hardware, firmware, andsoftware.

Teleoperated medical systems have been developed that increase anoperator's dexterity or ability, to improve ergonomics, etc. Forexample, minimally invasive teleoperated surgical systems that operateat least in part with computer assistance (“telesurgical systems”) havebeen developed and operate using a master/slave model in which auser-operated master input device controls a motor-driven slave surgicaltool. The user grasps and moves the master input device to operate aslave surgical tool by remote control, rather than directly holding andmoving the tool by hand. The slave surgical tool follows the motion ofthe master input device.

During minimally invasive telesurgery, an imaging device such as anendoscopic camera at the surgical site captures a moving image of tissueand a slave surgical tool's working end. For convenience, “camera” isused herein to refer generally to imaging devices used to capture one ormore images. Examples of image devices include those based on optical,ultrasound technology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT (computedtomography), X-ray, etc. Examples of endoscopic cameras includemonoscopic, stereoscopic, and 3D cameras, as well as cameras that imageinside the visible spectrum, in the infrared, in the ultraviolet, someother part of the spectrum, or a combination of the foregoing. “Tool” isused herein to include imaging and non-imaging instruments. The term“end effector” as used herein refers to any distal end component orportion of a tool, such as a tip of a manipulation, suction, irrigation,or cautery tool or a tip of an imaging device such as an endoscopiccamera (e.g., examples of end effectors include a grasper, scissors, acautery hook, a suction/irrigation nozzle, a blunt tip, a distal tip ofa catheter or other flexible device, lenses for an optical imagingdevice, a probe tip for an ultrasonic imaging device, etc.). The userviews the image while operating the master device and sees the slave endeffector movement that corresponds to the master device movement. Acomputer control system provides the control interface between themaster device and the slave surgical tool.

The user typically operates the master device from a position that isremote from the patient (e.g., across the operating room, in a differentroom, or in a completely different building from the patient). In manytelesurgical situations, the user is outside the sterile field and sodoes not directly interact with the patient. In some telesurgicalsituations, however, the user operating a master device is close enoughto the patient to directly interact with the patient, optionally withinthe sterile field. The master device is typically free to move in allsix Cartesian degrees of freedom (DOFs), so that changes in masterdevice position (translations along the Cartesian axes) and changes inmaster device orientation (rotations around the Cartesian axes) resultin corresponding slave tool translations and rotations. This descriptionis in the context of Cartesian reference frames, and persons of skill inthe art will understand that other suitable three-dimensional referencesystems (e.g., cylindrical, spherical) may be used.

The master device may be in various forms. For example, the masterdevice may be the distal-most link in a kinematic chain with redundantmechanical DOFs, a joy-stick, an exoskeletal glove, or the like. In someinstances the master device tracks hand gestures, so that the user'shand alone, or part of the user's hand, functions as a virtual masterdevice if the hand's translations and rotations are tracked withsufficient accuracy for surgery. Master devices may optionally have oneor more mechanical DOFs to control corresponding end effector mechanicalDOFs, such as a pincer mechanism for end effector jaw grip, or a switch(e.g., push button or slider) for end effector knife movement betweenjaws. And, master devices may optionally have one or more inputs such asswitches to control additional end effector or surgical system features,such as electrosurgical energy application, stapler control, engagingand disengaging the master/slave control relationship between the masterdevice and the slave tool (“clutching”), changing system operatingmodes, changing master device control from one slave surgical tool to asecond slave surgical tool, display menu selection, and the like.

Surgical tools are in various forms, and they include tools for boththerapeutic and diagnostic functions. Example surgical tools includetissue graspers, needle drivers, scissors, retractors, electrosurgicalcautery tools, staplers, surgical clip appliers, ultrasonic cutters,suction/irrigation tools, catheters, ultrasound probes, etc. In somesituations a camera, such as an endoscopic camera or other image capturetechnology, may be considered a surgical tool. Cameras and associatedimage processing technology may be used for specialized functions, suchas near infra-red image capture, fluorescent energy capture,hyperspectral imaging, and the like. These special imaging functionsincrease the effectiveness of an intervention.

Many telesurgical systems incorporate robotic technology (they are oftenreferred to as “surgical robots” even though they may undertake noautonomous action). Example telesurgical systems are illustrated in U.S.Pat. No. 6,331,181 B1 (filed Oct. 15, 1999)(describing a multi-portsystem in which a camera and other surgical tools enter the body viaseparate ports), U.S. Pat. No. 8,784,435 B2 (filed Aug. 12,2010)(describing a single-port system in which a camera and othersurgical tools enter the body via a single common port), and U.S. Pat.No. 8,801,661 B2 (filed Nov. 7, 2013)(describing a system that uses aflexible surgical tool). The full disclosures of U.S. Pat. No.6,331,181, 8,784,435, and 8,801,661 are incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

Telesurgical systems typically include one or more motor-driventeleoperated manipulators. A surgical tool is removably mounted on amanipulator, and the manipulator typically moves both the tool as awhole and component parts of the tool, including the tool's endeffector. The manipulator's movements correspond to the user's masterdevice movements so that the end effector movements precisely follow themaster device movements. Various telesurgical manipulator architecturesare known, such as serial kinematic chains, spherical linkages,orthogonal prismatic joints (both linear and circular curvilinear), andthe like. The surgical tool itself may be a single rigid body or akinematic chain, and so the tool's kinematic pose determines its endeffector's pose in space. Likewise, the manipulator's kinematic posedetermines the surgical tool's pose in space.

The manipulator is typically held in a fixed position and orientation bya non-teleoperated setup structure, such as a kinematic arm. The setupstructure typically includes at least one kinematic pair of linkscoupled by a movable and lockable joint, so that the manipulator may berepositioned in space and then held in the new pose. The lockablejoint(s) may be powered (motorized) or unpowered. And the lockablejoint(s) may be locked in various ways, such as by using manually orelectrically controlled brakes, or by controlling a powered joint tomaintain a fixed relationship between links in a kinematic pair. Thesetup structure's kinematic pose determines the manipulator's pose inspace by holding the manipulator's proximal-most (“base”) linkstationary.

In turn, the setup structure may have a proximal-most link (“base”)optionally fixed to a mechanical ground (e.g., floor, wall, ceiling, orstructure fixed to floor, wall, or ceiling) or optionally movable withreference to a mechanical ground (e.g., a cart that rolls on the floor,moves along one or more rails on a wall, ceiling, or operating table,etc.). A movable setup structure base also functions to pose themanipulator in space. The manipulator, the optional setup structure(fixed or movable), and the optional base (fixed or movable) functiontogether as a support structure for the surgical tool mounted on themanipulator with reference to the mechanical ground. Any structure thatholds a manipulator, an imaging device such as a camera, or another toolfixed in space with reference to a mechanical ground may function as asupport structure. For example, a motorized or no-motorized fixtureholding an endoscopic camera steady in space may function as camerasupport structure as the camera captures images of the surgical site. Asanother example, an endoscopic camera may be held in place by supportstructure comprising a kinematic chain; the kinematic chain may be apassive kinematic chain, or include one or more driven joints.Additional examples of mechanical support structures are describedbelow.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view that shows components of an exemplaryteleoperated system, specifically a multi-port telesurgical system 100for performing minimally invasive surgery. System 100 is similar to thatdescribed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,200 B1 (filed Aug. 3,1999)(disclosing “Manipulator Positioning Linkage for Robotic Surgery),the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.Further related details are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,582 B2(filed May 20, 2011)(disclosing “Instrument Interface of a RoboticSurgical System”) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,823,308 B2 (filed Jul. 1,2011)(disclosing “Software Center and Highly Configurable RoboticSystems for Surgery and Other Uses”), the full disclosures of which arelikewise incorporated herein by reference. A system user 102 (typicallya surgeon or other skilled clinician when system 100 is used forsurgery) performs a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a patient104 lying on an operating table 106. The system user 102 sees movingimages (monoscopic (2D) or stereoscopic (3D)) presented by display 108and manipulates one or more master devices 110 at a user's control unit112. In response to the user's master device movements, a computer 113acts as a specialized control system and directs movement of slaveteleoperated tools 114 (the tool 114 being a surgical tool in thissurgical example). As described in more detail below, master devices 110are computationally aligned with tools 114. Based on this alignment,computer 113 generates commands that correlate the movement of themaster devices and the end effectors of tools 114 so that the motions ofthe end effectors follow the movements of the master devices in thehands of the system user 102 in a way that is intuitive to the user.

As described above, computer 113 typically includes data processinghardware and machine-readable code that embodies software programminginstructions to implement methods described herein (e.g., includingrelated control systems). And although computer 113 is shown as a singleblock in the simplified diagram of FIG. 1, the computer may comprise twoor more centralized or distributed data processing units, with at leasta portion of the processing optionally being performed adjacent an inputdevice, a portion being performed adjacent a manipulator, and the like.Any of a wide variety of centralized or distributed data processingarchitectures may be employed. Similarly, the programming code may beimplemented as a number of separate programs or subroutines, or it maybe integrated into various other telesurgical system components.

As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 further includes a manipulator assembly116, which includes two teleoperated manipulators 120 for tools 114 andteleoperated manipulator 124 for a tool that comprises an imagingdevice. For convenience of explanation, the imaging device is shown anddescribed below as a camera 126, and camera 126 may be any appropriateimaging device. For example, camera 126 may be configured to imageoptically, ultrasonically, or using any other appropriate technology. Inthis surgical example, camera 126 is an endoscopic camera configured toimage in the visible spectrum. Other numbers and combinations ofmanipulators are optional (e.g., one, three, or more manipulators fortools, two or more manipulators for cameras). Manipulator assembly 116also includes manipulator setup structures 118 that support manipulators120 during the procedure. And, manipulator assembly 116 includes animaging device setup structure shown as a camera setup structure 122;camera setup structure supports manipulator 124. The tool setupstructures and the camera setup structure each have a base link, andthese base links are coupled to a single movable cart. For each tool 114and for camera 126, the associated manipulator, setup structure, andcart illustrate a support structure for the tool or camera.

As shown, the image of the internal surgical site is displayed to user102 by a display 108 in user's control unit 112. The internal surgicalsite is optionally simultaneously shown to assistant 128 by an auxiliarydisplay 130 (2D or 3D). As mentioned above and described in more detailbelow, however, in some teleoperated systems user 102 may be close topatient 104 during surgery (e.g., in a position similar to assistant128's position as shown). In these telesurgical system architectures theuser may view the image of the surgical site on a 2D or 3D displaymounted on the floor, wall, ceiling, or other equipment, as illustratedby display 130's position.

Sterile assistant 128 (e.g., a nurse, an assisting surgeon, or anotherskilled clinician) performs various optional tasks before, during, andafter surgery. For example, assistant 128 may adjust the poses ofmanipulators 120,124, adjust setup structures 118,122, swap tools 114with other tools 132 on a manipulator, operate non-teleoperated medicaltools and equipment within the patient, hold an endoscopic camera, andperform other tasks related to teleoperated surgery and surgery ingeneral.

FIG. 2 is a front view that illustrates a manipulator assembly 116.Specifically, FIG. 2 shows a telesurgical system patient-side unit thatillustrates an embodiment of a multi-port telesurgical manipulatorassembly, which is commercialized as a da Vinci® Surgical System byIntuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., U.S.A. In a multi-porttelesurgical system, tools enter the body through two or more separateincisions or natural orifices. In this example, manipulator assembly 116includes four teleoperated surgical tool and camera manipulatorssupported by a movable patient-side unit.

In other embodiments of a multi-port telesurgical system, one or more ofthe manipulators 120,124 and associated setup structures 118,122 areindividually or in combination mounted on one or more separate movableunits or are fixed to a mechanical ground as described herein. It can beseen that various combinations of manipulators and their associatedsupport structures may be used.

In a single-port telesurgical system, all tools enter the body through asingle incision or natural orifice. Examples of manipulator assembliesfor single port telesurgical systems are shown and described in U.S.Pat. No. 8,784,435 B2 (filed Aug. 12, 2010) (disclosing “Surgical SystemEntry Guide”), and examples of telesurgical systems and flexiblesurgical tools are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,801,661 B2(filed Nov. 7, 2013) (disclosing “Robotic Catheter System and Methods”).

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, one or more masterdevices as described herein may be used to control two or more differenttelesurgical system configurations, be they two or more differentmulti-port systems, two or more multi-port, single-port systems, two ormore flexible tool systems, or any combination of such multi-port,single-port, and flexible tool systems.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a teleoperated tool 114 that may be usedwith a teleoperated system. Specifically, a teleoperated surgical toolis shown; this surgical tool that includes a distal end effector 140, anoptional wrist 141, a proximal end chassis 142, a housing 143 overchassis 142 (chassis 142 and housing 143 may optionally be combined),and an elongate shaft 144 coupled between end effector 140 and chassis142. End effector 140 is coupled to shaft 144 either directly or viaoptional wrist 141. Various wrist 141 architectures allow end effector140's orientation to change with reference to shaft 144 in variouscombinations of pitch, yaw, and roll. Optionally, the end effector rollfunction is carried out by rolling shaft 144. Various mechanisms(combinations of pulleys, cables, levers, gears, gimbals, motors, etc.)are mounted on chassis 142 and function to receive either mechanical orelectrical inputs from tool 114's associated manipulator. These inputsare used to orient and operate end effector 140. Chassis 142 willtypically include a mechanical or electrical interface 146 adapted forcoupling to a manipulator 120,124. As described in more detail in U.S.Pat. No. 6,331,181 B1, tool 114 will often include a memory 148, withthe memory typically being electrically coupled to a data interface (thedata interface typically forming a portion of interface 146). This datainterface allows data communication between memory 148 and computer 113(see FIG. 1) when the tool is mounted on the manipulator.

End effector 140 is also illustrative of an endoscopic camera-type toolwith an image capture component at an appropriate location (such as thecamera-type tool's proximal end or distal end), and either with orwithout wrist 141. And so, tool 114 by its structure also illustratescamera 126 for kinematic purposes, and subsequent reference to kinematicproperties of, and control aspects associated with, tool 114 and itsanalogs apply as well to camera 126 and its analogs.

A variety of alternative teleoperated surgical tools of different typesand differing end effectors 140 may be used. The tools associated withat least some of the manipulators are configured to be removed fromtheir associated manipulator and replaced with an alternate tool duringa surgical procedure. Additional details are provided in U.S. Pat. No.8,823,308 B2.

In some operational environments, tools 114 and end effectors 140optionally can be combined into combinations with multiple capabilities.Additional details related to these combinations are provided in U.S.Pat. No. 7,725,214 B2 (filed Jun. 13, 2007) (disclosing “MinimallyInvasive Surgical System”), the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Details related to interfacesbetween the tools 114 and the manipulators 120 are provided in U.S. Pat.No. 7,955,322 B2 (filed Dec. 20, 2006) (disclosing “WirelessCommunication in a Robotic Surgical System”) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,666,544B2 (filed Jul. 10, 2013)(disclosing “Cooperative Minimally InvasiveTelesurgical System”), the disclosures of which are incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties, and also in U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,582B2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a user control unit that shows anexample of user control unit 112 of FIG. 1. The user control unit 112includes a display 108 where an image of a work site (e.g. a surgicalsite in a surgical example) is displayed to a user 102 (e.g., a surgeonor other skilled clinician in the surgical example). A support 111 isprovided on which the user 102 can rest the forearms while gripping twomaster devices 110, one in each hand. The master devices 110 arepositioned in a space behind support 111 and generally below and behinddisplay 108. When using control unit 112, the user 102 typically sits infront of control unit 112, positions the eyes in front of display 108,and grips the master devices 110, one in each hand, while resting theforearms on support 111. The master devices are positioned so thatimages of the associated end effectors are between the master devicesand the eyes, so that motion of the master devices intuitively moves themasters as the user sees the end effectors in place of the hands. Theuser control unit 112 optionally may include the computer 113, or aportion of the computer 113, that functions to establish and maintain ateleoperated control relationship between the master devices 110 and theassociated tools 114 and their end effectors 140.

An effective teleoperated control relationship between a master deviceand its slave tool (e.g. a slave surgical tool in the surgical example)and end effector requires a spatial alignment between the master deviceand the end effector. The alignment must provide a reasonably accuraterelationship between the user's perceived motion of the master device(e.g., a proprioceptive sense) and the user's perceived resulting motionof the end effector (e.g., a visual sense). For example, if the usermoves a hand grasping a master device to the left, the user expects toperceive the associated slave manipulator move to the left. If theperceived spatial motions match, then the user can easily control theslave's movement by moving the master device. But if the perceivedspatial motions do not match (e.g., a master device movement to the leftresults in a slave movement up and to the right), then slave control isdifficult. The required alignment is done using known kinematicrelationships and reference frame transforms in the teleoperated system(e.g. a telesurgical system in the surgical example). Theserelationships are described below in Cartesian terms, although other3-dimensional coordinate systems may be used for systems that functionin 3-dimensional space.

1. Architectures and Reference Frames

FIG. 5A is a schematic view of teleoperated system components (e.g.telesurgical system components in surgical examples) and associatedCartesian reference frames. As shown in FIG. 5A, camera 126 (e.g. anendoscopic camera in endoscopic surgery examples) has a field of view(FOV) 127. A distal portion of tool 114 (e.g. a surgical tool insurgical examples) with a wrist 141 and end effector 140, where itswrist 141 and its end effector 140 are within FOV 127. End effectorreference frame 150 is associated with end effector 140, and toolreference frame 151 is associated with a proximal portion—the mainbody—of tool 114, such as the portion outside the patient (chassis,housing, proximal shaft, etc.). If the tool does not have a wrist 141,then reference frames 150 and 151 may be combined into a singlereference frame sufficient to position and orient both the proximalportion and the end effector 140 of the tool 114, or the referenceframes 150,151 may be kept separate, each having an origin at adifferent position. Similarly, field of view reference frame 152 isassociated with FOV 127, and imaging device reference frame 153 isassociated with a body portion of camera 126, such as the proximalportion outside the patient. If camera 126 does not have a wrist 141,then reference frames 152 and 153 may be combined into a singlereference frame, or they may be kept separate, each having an origin ata different position.

For systems in which the physical dimensions of all tools 114 (e.g.surgical tools in surgical examples) including camera 126, andmechanical links are known, and in which all joint angles between thesemechanical links can be determined (using direct rotation sensors, motorposition sensors, optical fiber shape sensors, and the like), thekinematic relationship between reference frame 150 or 151 and areference frame of any other link in tool 114 can be determined by usingwell-known kinematic calculations. Likewise, the kinematic relationshipbetween reference frame 152 or 153 and any other link in camera 126 canbe determined. And so, for such systems in which end effector 140operates within FOV 127, an alignment between reference frames 150 and152 will allow the user to easily control end effector 140 in FOV 127.

FIG. 5A further shows user 102 viewing display 108 and grasping masterdevice 110. Display 108 displays the images within FOV 127. As shown, animage 140 a of end effector 140 is displayed on display 108. A displayreference frame 154 is associated with display 108, and a master devicereference frame 156 is associated with master device 110. As masterdevice 110 is translated and rotated in 3D space, its associatedreference frame 156 translates and rotates correspondingly. Thesereference frame 156 translations and rotations (pose changes) can besensed using known methods, and they are mathematically transformed toend effector 140's reference frame 150 to provide a control relationshipbetween master device 110 and end effector 140 by using well-knownkinematic calculations. As master device 110's frame 156 position andorientation is changed, end effector 140's reference frame 150 positionand orientation is changed correspondingly, so that end effector 140'smovement is slaved to master device 110's movement and follows masterdevice 110's movement. User 102 views end effector 140's position andorientation changes on display 108. In order to establish the desiredeasy and intuitive control relationship between master device movementand end effector image movement, relationships are established betweenreference frames 150 and 152, and between reference frames 154 and 156.Once these reference frame relationships are established, movement ofreference frame 150 with respect to reference frame 152 can becontrolled to exactly or acceptably match movement of reference frame156 with respect to reference frame 154.

FIG. 5B is another schematic view of teleoperated system components andassociated Cartesian reference frames. FIG. 5B illustrates the variouscomponents shown in FIG. 5A supported by mechanical support structureswith reference to mechanical ground. FIG. 5B also illustrates referenceframes associated with these support structures. For simplicity in thisand the following figures, each support structure is depicted as akinematic pair—two links coupled by a movable joint. It should beunderstood, however, that the support structures may be various optionalconfigurations, such as a single link with zero DOF, a single kinematicpair with 1 or more DOFs, or combinations of kinematic pairs with 2 ormore DOFs. And, support structures with 2 or more DOFs may optionallyhave joints that give the support structure redundant DOFs. Any ofvarious kinematic joints (rotational as shown, prismatic, spherical,etc.) may be used.

As shown in FIG. 5B, master device 110 is supported by master devicesupport structure 160 that begins at a mechanically grounded portion 160a (also called “base 160 a”) and extends distally until coupled withmaster device 110. Reference frame 161 is associated with one link ofmaster device support structure 160. Similarly, display 108 is supportedby display device support structure 162 that begins at a mechanicallygrounded base 162 a and extends distally until coupled with display 108.Reference frame 163 is associated with one link of display devicesupport structure 162. Similarly, camera 126 is supported by an imagingdevice support structure (shown as camera support structure 164) thatbegins at a mechanically grounded base 164 a and extends distally untilcoupled with camera 126. Camera support structure reference frame 165 isassociated with one link of camera support structure 164. And similarly,tool 114 is supported by tool support structure 166 that begins at amechanically grounded base 166 a and extends distally until coupled withtool 114. Reference frame 167 is associated with one link of toolsupport structure 166.

FIG. 5B also shows that master device support structure 160 mayoptionally be configured as a support structure when there is a break inthe kinematic chain between master device 110 a and the grounded portion160 a of the master device support structure. This configuration existswhen master device 110 is not mechanically grounded (i.e., master device110 a is an “ungrounded” master device). For communication to or frommaster device 110 a, tether that includes a communication line or awireless connection may be used. It will be recalled that the masterdevice may be the user 102's unaugmented hand or hands, and so spatialsensing of the hand pose is a wireless implementation of an ungroundedmaster. Control commands 160 b from master device 110—position andorientation changes with reference to the master device reference frame156 and any additional control inputs (buttons, levers, fingermovements, hand poses, etc.) from the master device itself—are receivedvia master device control input receiver 160 c via the tether, via awireless signal from the master device, or by free space pose sensing.The control commands are then routed to computer 113 for processing andcorresponding slave control actions. Examples of ungrounded masterdevices are given in U.S. Pat. No. 8,521,331 B2 (filed Nov. 13,2009)(disclosing “Patient-side Surgeon Interface for a MinimallyInvasive, Teleoperated Surgical Instrument”), U.S. Pat. No. 8,935,003 B2(filed Sep. 21, 2010)(disclosing “Method and System for Hand PresenceDetection in a Minimally Invasive Surgical System”), and U.S. Pat. No.8,996,173 B2 (filed Sep. 21, 2010)(disclosing “Method and Apparatus forHand Gesture Control in a Minimally Invasive Surgical System”), whichare incorporated herein by reference.

When joint positions are determined, well-known forward or inversekinematic calculations are used to transform between master devicereference frame 156 and master device support structure reference frame161; between display reference frame 154 and display support structurereference frame 163; between the imaging device field-of-view referenceframe (referred to as the camera FOV reference frame 152), the imagingdevice reference frame (camera reference frame 153), and the imagingdevice support structure reference frame (camera support structurereference frame 165); and between end effector reference frame 150, toolreference frame 151, and tool support structure reference frame 167. Seee.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,973 (filed May 5, 1994) (disclosing “Methodfor Telemanipulation with Telepresence”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,665 (filedSep. 9, 1996)(disclosing “Endoscopic Surgical Instrument and Method forUse”), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,885 B1 (filed Aug. 13, 1999)(disclosing“Camera Referenced Control in a Minimally Invasive Surgical Apparatus”),the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

FIG. 5B further shows a world reference frame 168 that is stationarywith respect to the depicted mechanical grounds. Reference frame 168 maybe directly associated with the mechanical grounds, or it may beassociated with some other structure that remains stationary withrespect to the mechanical grounds. And, gravity vector (g) 169 isillustrated with reference to world reference frame 168, arbitrarilyaligned with frame 168's z-axis, although it should be understood thatworld reference frame may optionally be at any orientation in relationto the gravity vector. Magnetic north is another example of a referenceaxis that can be associated with a stationary world reference frame.

FIG. 5C is another schematic view of teleoperated system components andassociated Cartesian reference frames. FIG. 5C illustrates that supportstructures for the system components may optionally be combined invarious ways, and reference frames may be associated with the combinedsupport structures. For example, the master device support structure 160and the display device support structure 162 may be combined into acommon control support structure 170 as shown. Control support structure170 extends from a proximal base 170 a at a mechanical ground and thenbranches distally to support display 108 and master device 110. Anexample of such a control support structure common to both a masterdevice and a display is user control unit 112 shown in FIG. 4.

Control support structure 170 may also be configured to supportungrounded master device 110 a configurations, as described above and asshown in FIG. 5C.

A control support structure reference frame 171 is associated withcontrol support structure 170. Well-known forward or inverse kinematiccalculations are used to transform between display reference frame 154,master device reference frame 156, and control support reference frame171. And, control support reference frame 171 may be used in ungroundedmaster configurations as shown.

As another example that illustrates how support structures mayoptionally be combined, FIG. 5C shows camera support structure 164 andtool support structure 166 combined into a single device supportstructure 172 (e.g. a surgical device support structure in surgicalexamples). Device support structure 172 extends from a proximal base 172a at a mechanical ground and then branches distally to support tool 114and camera 126. An example of such a device support structure ismanipulator assembly 116 shown in FIG. 2.

A device support reference frame 173 is associated with device supportstructure 172. Well-known forward or inverse kinematic calculations areused to transform between end effector reference frame 150, toolreference frame 151, FOV reference frame 152, camera reference frame153, and device support reference frame 173 as necessary. It will berecalled that in some cases a person may hold camera 126 and so act as acamera support structure.

FIG. 5C also shows world reference frame 168 and gravity vector (g) 169in relation to control support structure 170 and device supportstructure 172, and also in relation to their associated referenceframes. World reference frame 168 and gravity vector 169 are shown toillustrate they may be used as needed in relation to reference frames171 or 173, as well as the various reference frames shown in FIG. 5B.Additional description is included below.

Persons of skill in the art will understand the various supportstructures may support a single object as shown, or optionally they maysupport two or more similar or dissimilar objects. For example, masterdevice support structure 160 may support two master devices 110 (e.g.,one master device 110 for each left and right hand to controlcorresponding individual tools 114, as illustrated by user control unit112). Or, master device support structure 160 may support three or moremaster devices (e.g., two master devices 110 to control correspondingindividual tools 114, and a third master device to control a third tool114 or a camera 126). Combinations of one or more kinematically groundedmaster devices and one or more ungrounded master devices may besupported. And, if two or more master devices 110 are supported, display108 may or may not be supported. Similarly, tool support structure 166and device support structure 172 may support two or more tools 114,either with or without supporting camera 126 (e.g., the manipulatorassembly 116).

In addition, teleoperated systems may optionally include combinations oftwo or more master device support structures 160, display device supportstructures 162, camera support structures 164, tool support structures166, control support structures 170, and device support structures 172.For example, a da Vinci® Xi Surgical System has one control supportstructure 170 that supports a single display 108 and two master devices110, and it has one device support structure that supports oneendoscopic camera 126 and up to three tools 114. The da Vinci® XiSurgical System optionally includes a second control support structure170 that supports a second single display 108 and a second set of twomaster devices 110, and this second support structure may be used forexample in training situations.

Persons of skill in the art will understand the various reference framesillustrated may optionally be combined in various ways to be a singlereference frame when kinematically possible. For example, master devicesupport reference frame 161 or control support reference frame 171 maybe used as master device reference frame 156. Likewise, displayreference frame 154 may be used as master device reference frame 156.Similarly, camera body reference frame 153 (the imaging device bodyreference frame) may be used as the FOV reference frame. To avoidneedless description, all the various combinations are not listed, butall such combinations are within inventive aspects. In general, areference frame associated with any link, including the distal-mostlink, in one kinematic chain may be used as a reference frame associatedwith any link, including the distal-most link, in a second kinematicchain. The kinematic relationship between the two reference frames isestablished as necessary in accordance with inventive aspects.

As described above, when display 108 and one or more master devices 110are supported in a common control support structure 170, and whenkinematic pose information about display and the master devices isdetermined, well-known kinematic calculations can be used to establishthe required control alignment between reference frames associated withthe display and one or more masters. This is because the position andorientation relationship between display 108, the one or more masterdevices 110, and the control support structure 170 is known. Similarly,when camera 126 and one or more tools 114 are supported in a commondevice support structure 172, well-known kinematic calculations can beused to establish the required control alignment between referenceframes associated with the camera and its FOV, the one or moreindividual end effectors 140 corresponding to one or more individualtools 114, and the device control structure because the position andorientation relationship between these objects is known. To establishthe control alignment required for teleoperation (e.g. for telesurgeryin surgical examples), the control support reference frame 171 istransformed to the device support reference frame 173, and so themaster/display and camera end effector/FOV reference frame alignment isestablished.

For example, new teleoperated system architectures may lack a singlemechanical base common to the tools that can be used in determining thekinematic relationships among the tools. Similarly, new teleoperatedsystem architectures may lack a mechanical base common to the masterinput devices that can be used to determine the kinematic relationshipsamong the master input devices, or between the master input device(s)and other equipment such as a display. Thus, there is a need to forimproved spatial registration and control in teleoperated systems.

For example, a teleoperated system may comprise two or more units thatcarry tools, where the units are moveable with reference to each othersuch that the kinematic relationship between units is not readilydefined by being mounted to the same mechanical base. Further, a tool(such as a manipulation tool or a camera) may be supported by a passivesupport structure that is not instrumented with any sensors, or the toolmay be held by a human, and so a computer control system is unable todetermine the tool's kinematic information from the tool's supportstructure. Consequently, there is no single mechanical base common tothese units that can be used to determine the kinematic relationshipsamong the tools held by different units (e.g. among an endoscopic cameraand one or more other medical tools, in a medical embodiment). Inaddition, one or more units may be added or removed as needed during aprocedure (e.g. during a surgical procedure in surgical examples).

A similar situation may exist with master control devices used tocontrol motion of the tools in these new systems. Master control devicesmay not share a common mechanical base, and the kinematic relationshipbetween a display (e.g. one showing an image of a work site captured byan imaging device) and one or more master control devices (e.g. masterinput devices used to control the pose of one or more tools, such as oneor more manipulation or imaging tools) may not be determinable fromkinematic data alone. In addition, one or more master input devices maybe added or removed as needed during a procedure.

Thus, in a situation in which one or more individual master device,display, imaging device, and tool support structures is used, however,the position and orientation relationship between the masters and thedisplay, and between the imaging device and the other tools, is moredifficult to establish. If position and orientation are to be used toestablish the required control alignment, then both the position and theorientation of each separate support structure must be determined. Andfurther, if the position or orientation of a separate support structurechanges during use (e.g. for surgery in surgical examples), the newposition and orientation of the changed support structure must bedetermined to again establish the required control alignment. But, it isoften difficult to determine the position and orientation of theseparate support structures with sufficient accuracy.

FIG. 5D is a schematic plan view of a medical example, showing a patientand two patient-side units that illustrates an example situation inwhich separate camera and tool support structures are used during amedical procedure. A patient 200 is shown on an operating table 202. Anillustrative camera support structure 204 is shown as a mobile unit thatcan be moved across the operating room floor. As described above, camerasupport structure 204 supports endoscopic camera 206, which has an FOVposed toward work site 208 (a medical site such as a surgical site inthis example) within the patient. An illustrative tool support structure210 is included, also shown as a mobile unit that can be moved acrossthe operating room floor. Tool support structure 210 supports tool 212,which is posed to locate its end effector 214 at the surgical sitewithin the patient and the FOV. Camera support structure 204 representsa single camera support structure supporting a single camera, a singlecamera support structure supporting two or more cameras, and two or moreindividual camera support structures each supporting one or morecameras. Likewise, tool support structure 210 represents a single toolsupport structure supporting a single tool, a single tool supportstructure supporting two or more tools, and two or more individual toolsupport structures each supporting one or more tools. Further, camerasupport structure 204 and tool support structure 210 optionallyrepresent combined device support structures as described above. Thus,to avoid a needlessly long description of all the possible variations,persons of skill in the art will understand the description that followsabout camera support structure 204 and tool support structure 210 alsoapplies to the various other support structures each may represent.

As shown, camera support structure 204 is at a certain pose 204 a withreference to a mechanical ground (in this example, the floor 216).Camera support structure reference frame 218 is associated with anindividual link of the camera support structure's kinematic chain (e.g.,the base link at the mechanical ground, a link of a setup structure, alink of the manipulator, a link of the camera itself; the pose of thecamera's distal-most link, which may be the camera body itself, is usedalso define the camera FOV's reference frame). The camera supportstructure reference frame 218 orientation changes as the associatedindividual link orientation changes, and kinematic calculation is thenused to determine the orientation of any other link in the camerasupport structure.

This changing orientation aspect is further shown in FIG. 5D for toolsupport structure 210, which is shown at a first pose 210 a withreference to the mechanical ground (floor 216). Tool support structurereference frame 220 is associated with an individual link of the toolsupport structure's kinematic chain (e.g., the base link at themechanical ground, a link of a setup structure, a link of themanipulator, a link of the tool itself, including the end effector).FIG. 5D further shows tool support structure 210 at a second optionalpose 210 b with reference to the mechanical ground, which illustratesthat the tool support structure may be placed at various positions andorientations for and during teleoperation (e.g. during telesurgery insurgical examples). Reference frame 220 changes as its associated linkon the tool support structure changes, as shown by arrow 222. Persons ofskill in the art will understand that the various poses of tool supportstructure 210 as shown also represent various poses of one or moreadditional individual or combined tool structures, as well as optionalposes of camera support structure 204 and optionally one or moreadditional individual or combined camera support structures, as well asone or more camera and tool support structures combined into one or moreseparate individual device support structures. But, for all theseoptional combinations, the support structure that supports the camera isseparate from the support structure that holds the tool that requiresregistration in the camera's FOV reference frame.

FIG. 5E is another schematic plan view of a patient and two patient-sideunits that shows a second example of changing orientation for separatecamera and tool support structures. In FIG. 5E, the camera and toolsupport structures are mounted on the table 202 (e.g., medical table inmedical examples, such as surgical tables in surgical examples). Forexample, the camera and tool support structures may be mounted atvarious positions along the table's side rail(s)), which serves as amechanical ground. Camera support structure 224 for camera 206 ismounted to table 202 at base position 224 a. Similarly, tool supportstructure 226 for tool 114 is mounted to table 202 at a first baseposition 226 a. Tool support structure 226 is optionally mounted totable 202 at a second base position 226 b, which again illustrates thatthe tool support structure may be placed at various positions andorientations for and during teleoperation (e.g. during telesurgery insurgical examples). In FIG. 5D both the position and orientation of thetool support structure's base was shown changed, and in FIG. 5E only theposition of the tool support structure's base is shown changed, sincethe base orientation does not change as it is at various positions alongthe table rail. But, the tool support structure base position andorientation may change in other configurations, such as when the toolsupport structure is moved from one side of the table to the oppositeside of the table. In addition, the table pose may change, whichcorrespondingly changes the base orientation and position. Again, asdiscussed above, various combinations of camera and tool supportstructures are possible. And again, for all these optional combinations,the support structure that supports the camera is either completelyphysically separate from the support structure that holds the tool thatrequires registration in the camera's FOV reference frame, or ismechanically coupled via a shared support structure that also holds thetool but without shared kinematic information and is thereforeeffectively kinematically separate.

2. Alignment for Control

In order to effectively move the distal end of the tool in relation tothe camera FOV reference frame, an alignment relationship is determinedbetween the camera FOV and the end effector of the tool—that is, betweenthe reference frame associated with the camera FOV and the referenceframe associated with the end effector. In addition, an alignmentrelationship is determined between the master device and the displaythat outputs an image from the camera that shows the endeffector—between the frame associated with the master control and theframe associated with the display. An example of establishing such analignment relationship and forcing a master device to a pose thatcorresponds to a displayed end effector pose is found U.S. Pat. No.6,424,885 B1 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,926 (filed Sep. 17, 1999), thedisclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Inthese examples, a master device is mounted at the end of a roboticmaster manipulator arm. To establish the necessary master/slave controlrelationship, the master manipulator arm moves the master device to apose in the display reference frame that corresponds to the pose of theslave end effector in the camera FOV reference frame. This movementaligns the master device pose with the displayed end effector pose, andso a visually and proprioceptively intuitive control relationshipbetween the master device and the end effector is established. Thus, invarious embodiments, the relationships between the end effectorreference frame and the FOV reference frame, and between the displayreference frame and the master device reference frame, are determined.

In implementations, a user's perception of intuitive master/slavecontrol depends on at least two major perceived correlations betweenmaster and slave. First, it depends on the user's perception of thecorrelation between the master's (the master device) orientation inspace and the slave's (end effector) orientation in space—perceivedorientation correlation. Second, it depends on the user's perception ofthe correlation of the master's (master device) direction of movementwith the slave's (end effector) direction of movement—perceiveddirection of movement correlation.

Therefore, the user's proprioceptive sense of the master device'sorientation should be within an acceptable tolerance of the user'svisual sense of the corresponding end effector image's orientation inthe display. For many tools and/or master devices, the long axis of themaster device should be perceived as oriented in the direction of thelong axis of the end effector in the display. For other tools and/ormaster devices, however, the master device and/or end effectororientation axes used for control may be other than the long axis. As anexample, a pistol grip style master device may not have a long axisperceived as aligned with an end effector's long axis, but the userstill perceives an orientation correlation between the pistol gripmaster and the end effector. Further, if the end effector has a gripfunction that intuitively corresponds to a master device's grip motion,the orientation of the plane of the master device's grip motion shouldbe perceived as corresponding to the orientation of the plane of the endeffector's grip motion in the display. (This is a match between themaster device's roll angle around its actual or perceived long axis andthe end effector's roll angle around the end effector's long axis.)

Likewise, the user's proprioceptive sense of the master device'sdirection of movement should be within an acceptable tolerance of theuser's visual sense of the corresponding end effector image's directionof movement.

Individual users will have different personal tolerances for perceivedorientation and direction of movement correlations. For example, someusers may tolerate a perceived orientation correlation mismatch of 20-40degrees. And, some users are affected by a perceived direction of motioncorrelation mismatch as low as 5 degrees. We have found that when atelesurgical system first establishes a control relationship betweenmaster device and end effector to begin master/slave operation, and asthe system continues to update and maintain the control relationshipbetween master device and end effector during master/slave operation,the perceived master/slave orientation and direction of movementcorrelations are more important than the perceived position correlationfor adequate performance.

Referring to FIG. 5F, an orientation alignment axis Z_(EL) is associatedwith the displayed image of the left end effector, and an orientationalignment axis Z_(ER) is associated with the displayed image of theright end effector. Likewise, an orientation alignment axis Z_(ML) isassociated with the left master device, and an orientation alignmentaxis Z_(MR) is associated with the right master device. The masterdevices with their orientation axes at Z_(ML1) and Z_(MR1) are atpositions spaced apart in a way generally corresponding to the way theend effector orientation axes Z_(EL) and Z_(ER) are spaced apart. Themaster device orientation axes Z_(ML2) and Z_(MR2), however, are spacedapart farther than the way the end effector orientation axes Z_(EL) andZ_(ER) are spaced apart. Nevertheless, the positions of master deviceorientation axes Z_(ML2) and Z_(MR2) provide effective intuitivecontrol. In a similar way, differences in vertical (e.g., left higherthan right) or depth (e.g., left farther away than right) positions ofmaster device orientation axes Z_(ML2) and Z_(MR2) also provideeffective intuitive control. For example, effective control can beestablished and maintained with the position of the right master deviceorientation axes at Z_(ML1) and the left master device orientation axisat Z_(MR2).

Still referring to FIG. 5F, a 3D spatial movement V_(MR1) is associatedwith the right master device at the first master device position, and aparallel 3D spatial movement V_(MR2) is associated with the right masterdevice at the second master device position. Both of these movementsV_(MR1) and V_(MR2) are perceived as correlated to the right endeffector's 3D spatial movement V_(ER) for effective intuitive control,despite the right master device being at positions spaced apart in 3Dspace.

3. Orientation Alignment and Orientation-only Alignment

In order to provide the required perceived correlation in orientationand direction of movement between master device and end effector for theuser's effective intuitive control, the control system determines andaligns the relationships between associated frames, both to beginmaster/slave control for teleoperation (e.g. for telesurgery in surgicalexamples) and to maintain and update master/slave control duringteleoperation (e.g. for telesurgery in surgical examples).

In accordance with an inventive aspect, the required alignmentrelationships between the camera FOV and the end effector, and betweenthe master device and the display are established with reference to onlythe orientations of these objects and not with reference to theirpositions—that is, with reference to the orientations of the referenceframes associated with these objects and not with reference to thepositions of the reference frames associated with these objects. Forcontrol, absolute orientation is determined between an end effectoralignment orientation axis and a camera FOV alignment orientation axis,and absolute orientation is established between a master devicealignment orientation axis and a display alignment orientation axis.When the orientation relationships are determined for control, the endeffector may be located within or outside the camera FOV.

In accordance with an inventive aspect, the required alignmentrelationships between the camera FOV and the end effector, and betweenthe master device and the display, are established with reference to thefull orientations of these objects but with reference to less than theirfull positions. The full orientation is also called “completeorientation”, and the full position is also called “complete position”.Examples of less than full position information include no positioninformation, and partial position information such as positioninformation along only one or two axes. Thus, in an example utilizingCartesian coordinates, the required alignment are established withreference to the orientations of the reference frames associated withthese objects around all three Cartesian axes (e.g. rotation around theX, Y, and Z axes), and with reference to the positions of the referenceframes associated with these objects along zero, one, or two Cartesianaxes (e.g. along none of the X, Y, or Z axes, or along only one or twoof the X, Y, and Z axes). Control is then established by using the fullorientation information and less than the full position information.

The following description concentrates on using orientation information,and it should be understood that in addition, less than full positioninformation (i.e., along zero, one, or two Cartesian axes) may beoptionally combined with full orientation information to establish andmaintain control as described.

A full homogeneous transformation may be used but is not necessary toestablish and maintain effective alignment between reference frames forintuitive control. Once the orientation of any individual link in thekinematic chain for these objects (which may be the object itself) isknown, an effective control relationship can be established with lessthan full position information for that individual link. Less than fullposition information for a link may mean no position information forthat link, and some embodiments use only orientation information forestablishing the control relationship. Using only orientation foralignment simplifies the alignment task because it eliminates the needeither to determine the absolute or relative position of these objectsor of their support structures, or to construct combined supportstructures that establish a common reference frame for these objects orsupport structures. Less than full position information may also meanpartial position information, and some embodiments use orientationinformation and partial position information in establishing the controlrelationship. Using partial but not full position information alsosimplifies the alignment task by reducing the amount of positioninformation that is determined. Thus, various separate individualobjects and their support structures, as illustrated in FIGS. 5B-5E, maybe properly aligned for control. The required alignment relationships toestablish effective control are carried out by well-known kinematictransforms from one reference frame to another reference frame.

Once the initial orientation alignment relationships (e.g.orientation-only alignment relationships, orcomplete-orientation-with-partial-position alignment relationships)required for effective teleoperation control are established among thevarious reference frames, then changes in both position and orientationwith respect to these reference frames are used to carry outteleoperation (e.g. telesurgery in surgical examples). For example, achange in position of a master device is carried out as a corresponding1:1 or scaled change in position of a tool's end effector, a change inorientation of a master device is carried out as a corresponding changein and orientation of a tool's end effector, and a change in pose of amaster device is carried out as a corresponding change in pose of atool's end effector. But while these control relationships functionduring teleoperation, the alignments between the frames may bemaintained by using only the orientations of the frames and not withreference to their positions, or by using the orientations withreference to less than their full position information.

In one aspect, the end effector orientation is determined in relation tothe tool's shaft orientation in accordance with the wrist function. Insome instances, all three end effector orientation DOFs with respect tothe shaft are independent of the shaft to which the end effector iscoupled. In other instances, fewer than the three end effectororientation DOFs with respect to the shaft are independent of the shaft.For example, the end effector pitch and yaw DOFs may be independent ofthe shaft, and end effector roll orientation around the z-axis isdetermined by a shaft roll DOF. As another example, the end effector yawDOF may be independent of the shaft, but end effector pitch and roll isdetermined by corresponding shaft pitch and roll DOFs. Thus in someinstances in which a transform from a tool reference frame to an endeffector reference frame occurs to establish the alignment required forcontrol, three, two, or one rotation may be required, depending on thetool's distal end configuration.

In one aspect, the orientation of the end effector reference frame isdetermined in relation to a reference frame other than the tool'sreference frame. For example, as described in more detail below, theorientation of the end effector reference frame is determined withreference to the orientation of a reference frame of a field of view(FOV). For example, in an endoscopic surgery example, the orientation ofthe end effector reference frame (for a tool in the surgical site) isdetermined relative to the orientation of a field of view referenceframe (for an endoscopic camera having a FOV covering the surgical sitein part or whole, also called a camera FOV). In this example, the endeffector may be located inside or outside of the field of viewassociated with the field-of-view reference frame.

In one aspect, the orientation of the input device frame is determinedin relation to a reference frame of an image displayed by a display, andviewable by a user interacting with the input device.

In accordance with another inventive aspect, the initial orientationalignment relationship (e.g. orientation-only alignment relationship, orcomplete-orientation-with-partial-position alignment relationships)required for control is established when an event in the teleoperatedsystem occurs, such as the teleoperated system's computer receiving asignal that indicates the user wishes to begin teleoperation control.Such an event may be a button press or other actively controlled eventso that teleoperation is not begun by mistake.

Examples of such system events may be at a transition betweenteleoperation of one or more tools and teleoperation of one or moreendoscopic cameras, exchanging a first tool for a second tool on ateleoperated manipulator, and other actions that are expected to occurthroughout a procedure (e.g. through a surgical procedure in surgicalexamples). As a specific example, one event that optionally may be usedto trigger the request to establish the control relationship is an exitfrom a “clutch” mode in which the master/slave relation between themaster control device and the end effector is temporarily suspended. Theclutch mode is analogous to the use of a mechanical clutch that engagesand disengages a coupling between objects. As shown in FIG. 5G, at afirst time t1 a master device orientation axis ZM is at a first positionas shown and is perceived as correlated in orientation and direction ofmovement with the orientation axis ZE of the image of the correspondingslave end effector. That is, the user teleoperates the end effector andsenses that the z-axis ZM of master device at time t1 is aligned withthe z-axis ZE of the image of the end effector as shown. The user thenenters the clutch mode, moves master device to a second position asshown by the arrow, and exits the clutch mode at time t2. At t2 the useragain perceives that the orientation axis ZM of master device correlatedin orientation and direction of movement with the orientation axis ZE ofthe image of the end effector as shown, although at t2 the orientationaxis ZM is at a different position that at t1.

In accordance with another inventive aspect, the initial orientationalignment relationship (e.g. orientation-only alignment relationship, orcomplete-orientation-with-partial-position alignment relationships)required to establish control is updated during teleoperation to furtherrefine the relationship, to correct for possible drift in varioussensors and other system components, etc. These updates are optionallycarried out using only orientation information and not positioninformation. Updates may optionally occur at various times, such as at apredetermined time interval or at one or more system events. As anexample of an update at a predetermined time interval, end effector poseis updated approximately every 1 ms (millisecond) to correspond to themaster pose, and so the alignment relationship is updated each 100cycles (approximately every 100 ms). Further, updates may be made at acombination of system events and predetermined time intervals, such whenteleoperation is reestablished after a master device clutch movement,and then at a predetermined number of clock cycles after that.

As an alternative, the alignment relationship between frames may berefined by a ratcheting procedure, for example as described in U.S. Pat.No. 8,423,186 B2 (filed Jun. 30, 2009), which is incorporated herein byreference, to converge on master device and end effector perceivedalignment in orientation after an event such as clutching. For example,where the orientation of the input-device reference frame relative tothe display frame is a first relative orientation and the orientation ofthe end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view referenceframe is a second relative orientation, and the first relativeorientation differs from the second relative orientation by adifference, the system can update the second alignment relationshipmultiple times to gradually reduce the difference.

As another example, the system can integrate the orientation difference,and apply a portion of the integrated difference to commanded motion. Inthis alternative, the end-effector reference frame changes withcommanded motion, and the commanded motion dynamically reduces theorientation difference. In an implementation, the system determines: acommanded change in orientation of the end effector, a residualorientation difference, a maximum reduction of the difference (such as apercentage of commanded change in orientation that still maintainsorientation intuitiveness, in some cases being limited to a maximum of+/−20% of commanded motion). Then, the system modifies the commandedmotion by adding an amount based on the residual orientation difference(such as the residual orientation difference scaled by a scale factor).Such a scale factor can be limited by a maximum scale factor.

In accordance with another inventive aspect where only orientation isused in the alignment relationship, the orientations of various objectsand links in kinematic chains may be determined in various ways, asillustrated below. And, even though position information for theseobjects and links may also be determined, in these aspects it is theorientation information alone that is used to initially establish thealignment relationship required for control, and then to maintain andupdate the alignment relationship.

FIG. 5H is a schematic view of teleoperated (e.g. telesurgical insurgical examples) system components and reference frames associatedwith these components. Where applicable, components are analogous tocomponents illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5F. As shown, camera tool 502 has anassociated camera tool reference frame 503. Camera tool 502 has an FOV504 (2D or 3D), which has an associated FOV reference frame 505. If thedistal objective end 506 of camera tool 502 is not steerable withreference to the body of the camera tool, then camera tool referenceframe 503 and FOV reference frame 505 may be combined.

Camera support structure 508 supports camera tool 502 at a distal end.In some implementations camera support structure has a single link, andin other implementations it has two or more links with each pair oflinks coupled by a joint. As shown, one link of camera support structure508 is identified as a camera support target link 510, and a dedicatedspatial indicator target 512 is optionally fixed to target link 510.Camera tool support structure reference frame 513 is associated withtarget link 510 or target 512 as appropriate. Camera support structure508 further includes a proximal base link 514 at a mechanical ground 516(e.g., coupled to floor 516 a, to wall 516 b, to ceiling 516 c, or to astructure itself at a mechanical ground, such as a table (fixed ormovable) or movable cart). Base link 514 is optionally movable withreference to ground, as indicated by the directional arrows, but isotherwise in a fixed relationship to ground during initial alignment andoperation. In some optional implementations, camera support structure508 is omitted and camera 502 is supported by a person during aprocedure. In such an optional implementation, target 512 is optionallyfixed to camera tool 502, and camera tool reference frame 503 and cameratool support structure reference frame 513 are combined.

Tool 520 has an associated tool reference frame 521. Tool 520 has adistal end effector 522, which if applicable has an associated endeffector reference frame 523 because it is movable with respect to thebody of tool 520.

Tool support structure 524 supports tool 520 at a distal end. In someimplementations tool support structure has a single link, and in otherimplementations it has two or more links with each pair of links coupledby a movable joint. As shown, one link of tool support structure 524 isidentified as a tool support target link 526, and a dedicated target 528is optionally fixed to target link 526. Tool support structure referenceframe 529 is associated with target link 526 or target 528 asappropriate. Tool support structure 524 further includes a proximal baselink 530 at mechanical ground 516 (e.g., coupled to floor 516 a, to wall516 b, to ceiling 516 c, or to a structure itself at a mechanicalground, such as a table (fixed or movable) or cart). Base link 530 isoptionally movable with reference to ground, but it is otherwise in afixed relationship to ground during alignment and operation.

Spatial orientation determining unit 531 determines the orientations ofcamera support target link 510, camera support spatial indicator target512, tool support spatial indicator target link 526, camera supportspatial indicator target 528, and camera 502, or a subset of thesedepending on how the orientations are determined, as required for thesystem configuration. Orientation determining unit 531 optionally usesany of various known ways to determine the orientation, such askinematics, electromagnetic localization and other RF-based methods,ultrasonic or acoustic localization, optical tracking based on dedicatedtargets or natural features, and optical fiber shape sensors. Detailsare described below. Orientation determining unit 531 is optionallycentralized at a single location or distributed at two or morelocations, may be optionally integrated into one or more teleoperatedsystem units and support structures, and may be optionally worn by theuser.

In some implementations where only orientation information is used foran alignment relationship, the system is configured to sense onlyorientation information for such alignment relationship. For example, akinematic support structure is instrumented to only sense jointorientation. Omitting sensors simplifies the design and saves cost.Therefore, in some optional implementations two mechanically-connectedsupport structures are instrumented to sense only orientation and notposition. For example, in a kinematic chain support structure for a toolmanipulator or a master device, rotational sensors are used to senserotational joint angles, but position sensors to sense prismatic jointpositions are omitted. Likewise, for ungrounded devices, optionally onlyorientation and not position is sensed, since only orientation may beused to establish and maintain the intuitive control relationshipbetween master and slave devices. In some other implementations that useonly orientation information for an alignment relationship, positioninformation is partially or fully sensed.

Also shown is an optional world reference frame 532 and gravity vector(g), which may be used to define or determine one or more of thereference frames or to sense a change in orientations of one or more ofthe reference frames. World reference frame 532 is optionally used forthe kinematic transformations between the various system componentreference frames.

FIG. 5H further shows a display 534 on which images from camera tool 502are displayed. Display reference frame 535 is associated with display534. Display 534 is supported with reference to ground 516. When thedistal end of tool 520 is in FOV 504, a corresponding image is displayedon display 534 and is viewed by the user 540 (e.g. a surgeon or skilledclinician or other personnel in medical examples).

The user 540 holds master device 536, which has an associated masterdevice reference frame 537. Master device 536 is optionally mechanicallygrounded or ungrounded, as symbolized by the dashed line to ground 516.Whether grounded or ungrounded, the orientation of master device 536—theorientation of master device reference frame 537—is sensed anddetermined by master orientation determining unit 538, which optionallyuses any of various known ways to determine the orientation, such askinematics, optical tracking, or other wireless tracking (e.g.,technology supplied by Leap Motion, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.,U.S.A.). For control purposes, an orientation of master device referenceframe 537 may be determined with reference to a reference frame on akinematic support structure (if applicable) or with reference a fixedreference frame, such as master orientation unit reference frame 539 orworld reference frame 532.

FIG. 5H also shows the user 540 oriented (standing, seated) to ground516. An optional user reference frame 542 is associated with user 540.User reference frame 542 is a body-centric reference frame defined withreference to a point on the user's body (e.g., the eye, another positionon the body, clothes or equipment the user is wearing, etc.).

A centralized or distributed computer control system 550 receivesinformation about the orientations of the various teleoperated systemcomponents and performs the rotational transforms necessary to establishthe initial alignment relationships required for effective teleoperationcontrol and maintain the alignment relationships as required. When thealignment relationships are established and any other conditionsnecessary for entering a master/slave control mode are met, computercontrol system 550 outputs a command to operate in the teleoperatedsystem in the master/slave control mode. Examples of optional requiredconditions to enter the master/slave control mode are a determinationthat the end effector is in the camera FOV, a determination that theuser is looking at the display (see e.g., U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/467,506 (filed Mar. 6, 2017), which is incorporatedherein by reference), and other safety-related conditions.

In general, computer control system 550 establishes the required initialorientation alignment relationships to enter the master/slave followingmode between master device 536 and surgical tool 520. Relativeorientation transform relationships are established between the endeffector frame and the FOV frame and between the master device frame andthe display frame. A direct transform relationship between master deviceframe and end effector frame is not required. As described above, thetransform relationships for the initial alignment do not account forposition information of the end effector or master device. The chain oftransforms varies depending on the system architecture and the variousreference frames that may apply to the components in the systemarchitecture. In some embodiments, the required initial orientationalignment relationship is an orientation-only alignment relationship,and the associated transform relationship is an orientation-onlytransform relationship that transforms only the orientation. In someembodiments, the required initial orientation alignment relationship isa complete-orientation-with-partial-position alignment relationship, andthe associated transform relationship is acomplete-orientation-with-partial-position transform relationship thattransforms position only partially, such as only along one or two axesin a three-dimensional space.

For example, with reference to FIG. 5H, a transform relationship frommaster device reference frame 537 to end effector reference frame 523may include a transform from master device reference frame 537, tomaster orientation unit reference frame 539, to tool support structurereference frame 529, to tool reference frame 521, to end effectorreference frame 523. Optionally a transform to and from world referenceframe 532 is included, generally between reference frames associatedwith a control unit and a patient-side unit.

In addition, computer control system 550 establishes an initialorientation transform relationship between master device reference frame537 and display reference frame 535. In some embodiments, the initialorientation transform relationship is an orientation-only transformrelationship. In some embodiments, the initial orientation transformrelationship is a complete-orientation-with-partial-position transformrelationship.

When establishing the initial master/slave relationship between masterdevice and end effector, the reference frame transform chain betweenmaster device and end effector is established for the master device forany master device position and orientation in space at which the user isholding the master device. The user may choose to visually align thepositions and orientations of the master device and the displayed endeffector images, but the user is not required to do so in order toestablish the control alignment. That is, the user may choose to holdthe master device without visually aligning the positions andorientations of the master device and the displayed end effector image.For example, the user may hold the master device at the chest orabdominal level, out of the user's field of view, optionally placing theforearm on an armrest for stability and fatigue reduction. As anotherexample, the user may be oriented at an oblique angle away from thedisplay while holding the master device when initial control alignmentis established. For example, a user's shoulders may be turned 45 degreesfrom the display so that the user can operate a master device in onehand and a manual tool (e.g. a laparoscopic tool in surgical examples)in the other hand.

In an aspect of establishing the master/slave relationship betweenmaster device and end effector, master/slave teleoperation is optionallyallowed on the condition that the master device is within a certainorientation tolerance. The tolerance may be based on the master device'sorientation within the master orientation unit reference frame (FIG. 5H,element 539). Or, the tolerance may be based on the master device'sorientation within the display reference frame (FIG. 5H, element 535),which in effect bases the tolerance on based on the orientation of thedisplayed image of the end effector. Or, the tolerance may be based onthe master device's orientation within some other reference frame. Theorientation tolerance may apply to one (e.g., roll), two (e.g., pitchand yaw), or all three rotations in Cartesian space. And, orientationtolerances for each of these rotations may be different. For example, ifthe master device includes a grip DOF within a plane, then the rolltolerance with reference to the end effector's corresponding grip DOFplane may be smaller (e.g., ±10°) or larger (e.g., ±20°) than the pitchor yaw tolerances (e.g., ±15°) with reference to the end effector'spitch and yaw.

FIG. 5I is a diagrammatic view that illustrates the requirement for themaster device orientation to be within a certain tolerance of thedisplayed end effector orientation in order to establish alignment forcontrol. As depicted, an image 522 a of end effector 522 is shown ondisplay 534. From the established kinematic relationship between FOVreference frame 505 and end effector reference frame 523, an orientation560 of the end effector image 522 a in display reference frame 535 isdetermined. (For clarity, reference number 560 is shown twice in thefigure—once in relation to the display, and once in relation to thedisplay reference frame.) Then, an alignment tolerance 562 is determinedwith reference to the orientation 560. In FIG. 5I this tolerance isillustrated by a circular cone having orientation 560 as its centralaxis. Other alignment tolerance shapes may optionally be used, such aselliptical cones, pyramids, and similar shapes that can be defined withreference to the orientation axis.

The kinematic relationship between the display reference frame and themaster device reference frame is determined. Then as a first example, asshown in FIG. 5I master device 536 a is determined to have anorientation 564 a. Orientation 564 a is determined to be withinalignment tolerance 562, and so master/slave control between masterdevice 536 a and end effector 522 is permitted. As a second example,master device 536 b is determined to have an orientation 564 b.Orientation 564 b is not within alignment tolerance 562, and somaster/slave control between master device 536 b and end effector 522 isnot permitted until orientation 564 b is determined to be withinalignment tolerance 562. In some instances the control alignment isautomatically established as soon as the master device orientation iswithin the alignment tolerance, and optionally a visual, audio, haptic,or similar indication is output to the user as a signal that themaster/slave control relationship is in effect. A ratcheting function asdescribed above may be used. For the required control relationship to beestablished in other instances, in addition to the master orientationbeing within the alignment tolerance, the system must receive anotherevent, such as a button press, verbal command, or similar input thatrequests the control relationship be established. This approach toestablish a master device orientation tolerance in order to beginmaster/slave control applies to situations in which the tolerance isbased on other reference frames.

In some instances in which a master control is at the distal end of arobotic arm, the control system 550 optionally commands the robotic armto orient the master device's orientation alignment axis with referenceto the master orientation unit reference frame (FIG. 5H, element 539),or the display reference frame (FIG. 5H, element 535), or some otherreference frame. For example, control system 550 may command the arm toplace the master device at an aligned orientation with reference to thedisplayed end effector image, and it commands the arm to place themaster device at a defined default position with reference to thedisplay, or at the current position with reference to the display,instead of at a position corresponding to the displayed image of the endeffector.

If two master devices are used to control a single object, the perceivedorientation and direction of movement correlations between the masterdevices and the object may be perceived orientation and direction ofmovement correlations between the master devices acting together and theobject. An example might be the two master devices acting as a handlebar with a straight connecting axis between them. As the master devicesare moved together to change the position of the connecting axis, theposition of the object correspondingly moves (e.g., a camera FOV movesup-down, left-right, in-out). As the master devices are moved togetherto change the orientation of the connecting axis, the orientation of theobject correspondingly changes (e.g., a camera FOV tilts up-down, pansleft-right, rolls clockwise-counterclockwise). Here again onlyorientation information need be used, and position information is notrequired. For example, the masters may be spaced close together or farapart on the connecting axis, and the spacing on the connecting axis maychange as the object is controlled (e.g., farther apart provides finerorientation control; closer together provides increase range of motion).

As shown in FIG. 5J, for example, a connecting axis X_(ML-MR) is definedbetween left and right master devices. A normal axis Z_(ML-MR) may alsobe defined for control. As axis X_(ML-MR) is moved to the left, a camerais either translated or rotated to move correspondingly, optionallyeither giving the user the sensation of moving the scene to the right(FOV moves right as shown) or the camera to the left (FOV moves left).The camera may translate or rotate as shown. Insertion and withdrawal iscontrolled by movements along axis Z_(ML-MR). Changes in elevation alonganother mutually orthogonal axis Y_(ML-MR) may also be done. Similarly,the FOV position or orientation may be controlled by rolling around theconnecting axis and its Cartesian orthogonals (e.g., FOV tilt by rollaround X_(ML-MR), FOV pan by roll around Y_(ML-MR), and FOV roll by rollaround Z_(ML-MR)). Approaches similar to ones used to establish initialalignment relationships may be used to maintain alignment relationshipsduring teleoperation as described herein.

4. Determining Spatial Relationships

As discussed above, the operational environment of a teleoperated systemmay include two or more manipulators for various tool and cameracombinations. For example, the patient-side environment of atelesurgical system may include two or more manipulators for varioussurgical tool and endoscopic camera combinations. And, one or more ofthese manipulators may not have a predetermined fixed spatialrelationship with respect to the other manipulators. Similarly, theremay not be a predetermined fixed spatial relationship among the one ormore master devices and the display screen. In this situation, it is notpossible to establish and maintain the control relationship necessaryfor teleoperation based only on sensing the angular relation between thevarious kinematic pairs (e.g., by using joint angle or similar sensors)and kinematic transformations for each individual unit. The spatialrelationships between units are determined in order to establish andmaintain effective intuitive control.

FIG. 6A is a schematic view of a teleoperated system (specifically atelesurgical system is shown) that incorporates inventive aspects ofdetermining spatial relationships. For simplicity, several aspects areillustrated as incorporated into FIG. 6A, and various optionaltelesurgical system configurations are described further below. Not alldepicted and described aspects are required in a single embodiment.Objects depicted in FIG. 6A are analogous to objects depicted in FIGS.5A-5J, as applicable (e.g., tools, endoscopic camera, supportstructures, control system, spatial sensors, movable units, etc.).

As shown, there are two teleoperated surgical tools 602 a,602 b, eachwith a corresponding end effector 603 a,603 b. Each tool 602 a,602 b isactuated by a corresponding manipulator 604 a,604 b, each mounted on acorresponding base 606 a,606 b to make up a corresponding patient-sideunit 608 a,608 b. Likewise, an endoscopic camera 610 is shown, and ithas a FOV 612. Endoscopic camera 610 is actuated by a correspondingmanipulator 614, which is mounted on a base 616, and together they makeup a patient-side unit 618. As shown, the patient-side units 608 a, 608b, and 618 are movable with respect to one another—there is nomechanical support structure common to any of them that fully constrainstheir relative spatial relationships. Hence, the patient-side units 608a, 608 b, and 618 are generally as described above.

Each surgical tool 602 a,602 b enters the body via a correspondingoptional cannula 620 a,620 b. Likewise, endoscopic camera 610 enters thebody via optional cannula 622. The tool end effectors 603 a,603 b arepositioned within FOV 612. Three optional vibration sensing/injectingunits 624 a, 624 b, and 624 c are shown, each attached to acorresponding one of the cannulas 620 a, 620 b, and 622. Alternatively,vibration sensing/injecting units 624 a, 624 b, and 624 c may be coupledto any position on a patient-side unit or other telesurgical systemunit.

Captured image data 625 travels from endoscopic camera 610 to optionalmachine vision processor 626. Image data 625 also travels to displayimage processing unit 628, which in turn processes the captured imagedata and outputs display image data 630 for display. Machine visionprocessor 626 outputs machine vision spatial data 632 for use asdescribed below.

FIG. 6A also shows master devices 634 a,634 b to be operated by a user.Each master device 634 a,634 b is supported by a correspondingmechanical support structure 636 a,636 b. As shown, support structures636 a,636 b are mechanically coupled in a fixed spatial relationship andare each mounted to a movable common base 638. Optionally, each supportstructure 636 a,636 b is mounted to a separate movable base. Also shownis an optional grounded or ungrounded master control deviceconfiguration 640, in which the master device 641 poses are sensed bymaster device spatial sensing unit 642 (see also FIG. 5H, orientationdetermining unit 538; FIGS. 5B and 5C, control input receiver 160 c).Spatial sensing unit 642 may be fixed in space, or it may optionally bemounted to a movable base 644. Display 646 is optionally mounted at afixed position, mounted on movable support structure 648, or worn by theuser. Support structure 648 may have a base that is fixed in space, orthe base may be mounted to a corresponding movable mechanical base 650,or the base may be mounted on a base common to the base corresponding tothe master control devices, such as base 638 or base 644. Hence, thecomponents associated with master control devices 634 a,634 b anddisplay 646 are generally as described above.

FIG. 6A further shows a control system 652 for the telesurgical system(see also FIG. 5H, control system 550; FIG. 4, computer 113). Controlsystem 652 executes programmed instructions to carry out the alignmentand other system control functions as described herein. Control system652 is in signal communication with patient-side units 608 a, 608 b, and618. It is also in signal communication with master devices 634 a,634 b.By this signal communication, control system 652 receives spatialinformation 654 a,654 b associated with end effectors 603 a,603 b,spatial information 654 c associated with FOV 612, and spatialinformation 654 d,654 e associated with master devices 634 a,634 b.Optionally, control system 652 receives spatial information 654fassociated with display 646 if it is not mechanically coupled to amaster device.

Optional spatial indicators 656 a-656 f are mounted to bases 606 a, 606b, 616, 638, 644, and 650. As shown, spatial detecting unit 658(centralized or distributed sensing) is associated with spatialindicators 656 a-656 c, and spatial detecting unit 660 (centralized ordistributed sensing) is associated with spatial indicators 656 d-656 f.Optionally, however, a single spatial detector unit may be associatedwith all spatial indicators in a telesurgical system. Referring to FIG.5H, targets 512,528 and orientation determining unit 531 are examples ofspatial indicators and detectors.

Therefore, inventive aspects determine the spatial relationships betweentelesurgical system units that are not in permanent, fixed mechanicalrelationships. The relationships are determined in order to establish,achieve, and maintain intuitive motion based on inputs from the user'smaster control devices, but with acceptable interference, or withoutinterfering, with the operating room environment. For example, thespatial relationship between manipulators for the end effectors and theendoscopic camera, or directly between the end effectors and endoscopiccamera themselves, is determined when there is no fixed mechanicalrelationship between them. The determined relationships are then used toestablish the transformations necessary for the teleoperated controlrelationship. At a minimum, only the orientations are determined. Insome implementations, however, some position information may bedetermined for one or two axes, or full pose information may bedetermined.

In some aspects the spatial determination methods use external hardware,such as spatial indicators 656 a-656 f and spatial detecting units658,660. But, this external hardware is sized and positioned so that itdoes not interfere with the operating room environment. In otheraspects, the spatial determination methods do not require additionalhardware and are contained within a telesurgical system's existinghardware. For example, an additional data processing unit such as avideo data processor or machine vision processor may be added inside anexisting unit.

Various ways may be used to determine the spatial relationship betweentelesurgical system units that are movable with reference to one anotherby localizing the units to a common single reference frame as necessary.The single reference frame may be a world reference frame that isdefined apart from the telesurgical system (see e.g., FIG. 5H, frame532). Or, the single reference frame may be associated with a device inthe telesurgical system, such as the base of a teleoperated manipulatorunit.

In the disclosure that follows, reference is made to a “reference base”of a unit, which in some implementations is the actual physical base ofa unit that rests on the floor or on another supporting structure thatis fixed in the world reference frame. But, persons of skill in the artwill understand that the “reference base” may be arbitrarily defined atany point on a patient-side unit that remains stationary in a worldreference frame during telesurgery. Since each “reference base” ismovable, the relationship of the reference base or bases is determinedonce the reference base is at a pose that will be stationary duringtelesurgery. Referring to FIG. 6A, bases 606 a, 606 b, 616, 638, 644,and 650 are examples of such movable reference bases and will be used asillustrations of reference bases. Operating principles are illustratedin terms of the patient-side units 608 a, 608 b, and 618, and theseprinciples apply to user control units as well as applicable for aparticular system configuration. Features and functions associated withspatial indicators 656 d-656 f and spatial detecting unit 660 areanalogous to features and functions for spatial indicators 656 a-656 cand spatial detecting unit 658.

One spatial relationship determining method is to establish a temporary,localized, mechanical relationship between a pair of units (e.g., twopatient-side manipulator units) by affixing a temporary, kinematicallyinstrumented, direct mechanical coupling (e.g., a jointed linkage withjoint angle sensors) between units to determine the spatialrelationship. The instrumented coupling allows the kinematicrelationship to be determined once the units are posed for telesurgeryand reposed during telesurgery. But in some situations such mechanicallocalization methods are not practical for the operating room. Forexample, the equipment used for these methods may interfere with steriledrapes and other operating room equipment. Or, sterile drapes and otheroperating room equipment may interfere with the equipment used for thesemethods. Further, the equipment used for these methods may consumeexcessive space in the patient-side environment, may be expensive, andmay be difficult to operate because it requires frequent calibration andother maintenance.

Another spatial relationship determining method is to adapt an indoorlocator system approach for use with a telesurgical system in theoperating room environment. (In this context, the term “locator system”may be configured to provide some or all of the parameters orientation,some or all of the parameters for position, or some or all of theparameters for both orientation and position.) These locating systemapproaches may find and track actively transmitting objects, or they mayfind and track an object's ambient presence.

One aspect of a locator system approach is to position one or moresensors on each unit to detect one or more synthetic or natural featureson one or more other units. Synthetic features may actively transmitenergy (a “beacon”; e.g., infrared or visible light, RFID, ultrasound)or may be passive (e.g., dedicated spatial indicator targets). The oneor more sensors are used to determine a spatial relationship between oneor more pairs of units, which is then used for teleoperated control asdescribed. In some situations, however, a line-of-sight method is notpractical for the operating room because the line-of-sight may beblocked by operating room equipment, sterile drapes, etc. And, if threeor more units are involved, multiple lines of sight must be clearbetween multiple pairs of units. But, in some situations a line of sightwill be nearly always be clear, such as between a unit and the operatingtable (see e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/522,180 (filed Apr.26, 2017; U.S. national stage of International Application No.PCT/US2015/057664) (disclosing “System and Method for Registering to aSurgical Table”, which is incorporated herein by reference).

Another aspect of a locator system approach is to place one or moresensors at corresponding fixed positions in the operating roomenvironment at locations which allow lines-of-sight to units (e.g., highon a wall, or on the ceiling) and to track synthetic or natural featureson the various movable units. Synthetic features may be beacons orpassive as described above. Spatial indicators 656 a-656 c alsoillustrate natural physical features that can be sensed. An advantage ofusing two or more sensors is that multiple possible lines-of-sightensure that a unit will always be detected, and multiple lines-of-sightbetween two or more sensors and a single unit provides redundancy andpossible refinement of the determination of the unit's pose.

As an example implementation of this fixed-sensor approach, a singleoptical sensor is placed at a fixed pose in the operating roomenvironment, and the single optical sensor detects passive dedicatedsynthetic optical targets or natural features on one or morepatient-side units. Spatial indicators 656 a-656 c in FIG. 6A illustratesuch targets or natural features (see also FIG. 5H, targets 512 and528). A calibration establishes the spatial relationship between thecoordinate frame of each target and its corresponding unit base frame.For example, spatial detecting unit 658 acts as an optical tracker, andthe spatial relationship between spatial indicators 656 a and 656 b isdetermined. Then, forward kinematic transformations are used todetermine the pose of each end effector 603 a,603 b with respect to itscorresponding target. Since all target frames can be expressed in asingle optical tracker frame as a common base frame, or other designatedcommon frame, the relative transformations between end effector framescan be calculated by using a combination of measured optical trackerdata and forward kinematics of the patient-side units 608 a,608 b.

As another example implementation of the fixed-sensor approach, two ormore optical sensors are placed at fixed poses in the operating roomenvironment, and the optical sensors detect passive dedicated syntheticoptical targets or natural features on one or more patient-side units.Control is then established as described above.

As another example implementation of the fixed-sensor approach, one ormore RFID or ultrasound beacons are placed on each unit, and one or moresensors are fixed in the operating room environment to detect thebeacons. The pose or poses of the one or more units are determined fromthe sensed beacons, and control is then established as described above.

As another example implementation of the fixed sensor approach, acombination of synthetic and/or natural features is sensed. Such acombined sensor type approach offers robustness and reliability over asingle sensor type approach. For example, an explicit target pattern onone patient-side unit and natural features of a second patient-side unitare sensed, or a combination of explicit target patterns and naturalfeatures of each patient-side unit are sensed.

A second aspect of a locator system approach is to place one or moresensors on each movable unit and track one or more synthetic or naturalfeatures fixed in the operating room environment at locations that areeasily sensed by the units (e.g., high on a wall, or on the ceiling). Aswith the fixed-sensor aspect, in this fixed-feature aspect syntheticfeatures may actively transmit energy (a “beacon”; e.g., light, RF,ultrasound) or may be passive (e.g., dedicated spatial indicatortargets). In this fixed feature aspect, spatial indicators 656 a-656 cin FIG. 6A illustrate such sensors (see also FIG. 5H, elements 512 and528), and spatial detector 658 illustrates the one or more fixedfeatures in the operating room environment. The control system receivesspatial information from the one or more units, and then control isestablished as described above.

In a manner similar to the fixed-sensor and fixed-feature locator systemapproaches, another alternative is the use of simultaneous localizationand mapping (SLAM) technology tailored for use with a telesurgicalsystem in an operating room environment. Various SLAM methods exist. Seee.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,329,598 B2 (filed Apr. 13, 2015) (disclosing“Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for a Mobile Robot”) and U.S.Pat. No. 7,689,321 B2 (filed Feb. 10, 2010) (disclosing “Robust SensorFusion for Mapping and Localization in a Simultaneous Localization andMapping (SLAM) system”), which are incorporated herein by reference.Detection and tracking of moving objects (DATMO) technology may becombined with SLAM. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,727,786 B2 (filed Nov. 14,2014) (disclosing “Visual Object Tracking System with Model Validationand Management”), which is incorporated herein by reference. Multiplesensors ensure sufficient coverage and overlapping operating roomreconstructions in consideration of other operating room equipment(surgical table, anesthesia station, etc.) and the need to move thepatient-side units in relation to such equipment. SLAM and/or DATMOsensors may be fixed in the operating room environment, mounted onmovable units, or both. The base frame orientations required for controlare determined, and then control is established as described above.

As an alternative to a modified indoor locator system approach, amachine vision approach may be used to track the tools directly in thestereoscopic images captured by the endoscopic camera. The trackinginformation is used to determine the pose of the end effector(s)directly in the reference frame associated with the camera's field ofview. Referring to FIG. 6A, machine vision processor 626 transmitsspatial data 632 about the end effector to control system 652. Thetracked relationships are used to determine the relative pose of themanipulator bases, which are stationary during telesurgery.

In one implementation, machine vision is in continuous use to track theposes of the end effectors. In an alternate implementation, once therelationship between the manipulator bases has been determined frommachine vision and kinematic information, the alignment between the endeffectors can be determined based on kinematic information alone, andthere is no need for further machine vision tracking. Referring to FIG.6A, control system 652 receives such kinematic data as spatialinformation 654 a-654 c from patient-side units 608 a, 608 b, and 618.This use of kinematic data reduces the computational load considerablyover continuous machine vision tracking. In yet another alternativeimplementation, machine vision tracking is used at intervals (e.g.,every 100 ms, every 1 s, etc.) to update the pose information, and thisperiodic update implementation is still a considerably smallercomputational load over continuous machine vision tracking.

As another alternative, a spatial determining system is based on opticalfiber shape sensors integrated with cables associated with each unit. Acable interconnection between units, or between two units and a commonnode such as the control system unit, includes an optical fiber shapesensor (e.g., one that incorporates fiber Bragg grating technology). Theshape sensor technology is used to determine the spatial relationshipbetween the interconnected units. Cables that transmit control or videodata may be modified to include optical fiber shape sensors.

The aspects above may be used to determine full pose information (fullorientation and position information), or they may be used to determineless than full pose information (e.g., in a three-dimensional Cartesianspace, partial orientation information around only one or two Cartesianaxes and/or partial position information along only one or two Cartesianaxes). As discussed above, in various embodiments including for manymanipulator assembly implementations at the patient side, only therelative orientations between the camera and one or more tools isrequired for effective control alignment relating the tools to thecamera. And so, only the relative orientations between these objects orindividual links in kinematic chains that support these objects arerequired. Likewise, for user control in some embodiments, only therelative orientations between the displayed image of an end effector anda master device are required. Consequently, these aspects can besimplified or made more robust, because they need only estimate half thenumber of variables (i.e., orientation, and not position). If the needto determine and track full pose information is eliminated, and onlyorientation information is determined, then additional spatialdetermination methods are available.

In one alternative orientation determining approach, spatial indicators656 a-656 f illustrate a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis magnetometercombination. It will be recalled that the spatial indicators may belocated at any link in a movable unit, or on an object itself, such ason an endoscopic camera.

As shown in FIG. 6B, for example, spatial indicators 656 a,656 b areeach a combination of a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis magnetometermounted to corresponding bases 606 a,606 b. The combinations of bothspatial indicators 656 a,656 b each determine gravity vector g andbearing with respect to the earth's magnetic north N, and so they areconstant for the two units. As shown, for the local magnetic field 670,b is the local magnetic field vector, g is the gravity vector, and thebearing {circumflex over (b)} is the magnetic field projected onto aplane 672 perpendicular to g to indicate magnetic north.

n=g×b

{circumflex over (b)}=n×g

From the magnetic north bearing, the gravity vector bearing, andkinematic information, the spatial orientations of the correspondingbases 606 a,606 b are determined, and so the relative spatialorientations of the corresponding end effectors 603 a,603 are determinedfor the initial alignment relationship. Likewise for FOV 612 and usercontrol units. Then, once the initial control alignment is established,kinematic information may be used to provide full pose information formaster/slave teleoperation.

There may be a magnetic field disturbance in the operating roomenvironment due to local magnetic materials, electric motors,electromagnetic field generators, nearby ferrous materials, etc. Ingeneral, the patient-side units should be placed so that theaccelerometer/magnetometer combinations are away from these things. Ifthe north bearing errors cause discrepancies in the north bearings fortwo or more patient-side units that are large enough to cause theinitial alignment between the units to affect intuitive master/slavecontrol, however, an alignment correction is necessary. For instance,identical motions of the left and right master input devices may resultin different motions of their corresponding end effectors (e.g., theleft end effector moves directly left as viewed in the display when theassociated left master is moved directly to the left, but the right endeffector moves up and to the left as viewed in the display when theassociated right master is moved in the same direction directly left).

Therefore, an alignment adjustment function is provided, and the usermay adjust and fine tune the relation of the image of each tool withrespect to the perceived orientation of the corresponding master device.Since the orientation misalignment is due only to different determinednorth bearings, this adjustment is a one DOF adjustment for each toolwith respect to the FOV frame. As shown in FIG. 6C, for example, a firstbearing

is determined for a first patient-side unit base reference frame 674 a,and a second bearing

is determined for a second patient-side unit base reference frame 674 b.Since the bearings are different, the user may adjust the angle θ asshown between them in order to obtain an alignment for intuitivecontrol. In this way, identical motions of the master input devices(e.g., directly to the left as perceived by the user) will result inidentical motions of the corresponding tools (e.g., directly to the leftas viewed in the display). This one DOF adjustment is much easier forthe user to make as compared to adjusting an entire 3D rotation to makethe correction, and it illustrates that this one DOF adjustment approachmay be applied to any spatial determining approach for orientation inwhich one rotational alignment produces a non-intuitive controlrelationship. This may occur, for example, if a support structure baseis moved or if a person holding the endoscopic camera moves.

An alternative way of making the rotational correction is to useexternal tracking or machine vision approaches as described above todetermine the misalignment, and the determined misalignment is used tomake the correction. As described above, these correction approaches maybe done at intervals to reduce computational load. Further, thecombination of the accelerometer/magnetometer approach and a secondspatial determining approach offers a more robust and computationallyless demanding solution because the second approach is simplified as itdetermines orientation in a single DOF. For example, anaccelerometer/magnetometer approach may be used to provide an initialestimation of a tool end effector orientation in an endoscopic camerafield of view, and then by using this initial estimation a machinevision tracking task can be sped up or made computationally lessdemanding.

As another alternative spatial determining approach, a 3-axis gyroscopeis coupled in a fixed position to each unit. Each gyroscope iscalibrated to a known orientation, and then the gyroscopes are used todetermine subsequent orientations as the units are moved. Calibrationmay be accomplished in various ways, such as a known mechanicalalignment (e.g., a fixture on the wall or table such as a surgicaltable) or by using the accelerometer/magnetometer approach as describedabove. Although gyroscopes may have a tendency to drift over an extendedtime, a gyroscopic approach may be combined with another spatialdetermining approach to provide a redundant incremental check on baseorientations during use (e.g. during surgery in surgical examples). Forexample, accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope measurements may beused together to determine relative orientations and transformationsbetween base links. As another example, gyroscope measurements may becombined with other spatial determining methods to add robustness andredundancy, and to simplify or speed up estimations. In addition,gyroscopes may be used to detect transient disturbances in the magneticfield that cause a deflection of a bearing measurement that does notagree with the gyroscope data. In this aspect, gyroscope data isoptionally more heavily weighted until the magnetometer signalstabilizes. Or, the detection of a transient magnetic field disturbancemay be used to signal a problem or fault to the user. A single DOFadjustment to allow the user to fine tune the perceived alignment in areduced parameter space as described above may be incorporated intoimplementations that incorporate gyroscopic information.

As another alternative spatial determining approach, only accelerationsensors are used, and vibration sensors (see e.g., FIG. 6, sensors 624a-624 c including vibration sensing/injecting units) are used todetermine relative spatial relationships between units. In oneimplementation, ambient common mode vibration (e.g., from the floor) issensed at each patient side unit or cannula. Assuming the same ambientvibration is sensed by each unit, a common mode signal is identified byaccelerometers associated with and fixed at known orientations to eachunit. The gravity vector and sensed horizontal directions of thevibrations at each unit are used to determine relative orientationbetween units. In an alternative implementation, a common mode vibrationis injected. For example, a cannula is vibrated so that its remotecenter of motion at the body wall vibrates in a known direction. Theinjected vibration directions are sensed by the units, and the relativespatial orientation is determined.

In yet another implementation that uses vibration information, one ormore beacons are placed (e.g., on the operating room floor) to injectperiodic and time-synchronized common mode vibrations so that each unitcan sense the vibrations. Accelerometers or matched resonators on theunits sense the vibration. Time of flight measurement is used toestablish distance to the vibrating beacon or beacons, and triangulationis used to determine the relative spatial orientation of the units. Forexample, assuming speed of sound in concrete is 3500 m/s, a 1 cmresolution requires ˜3 μs time resolution. This approach advantageouslyeliminates the need for a clear line-of-sight between beacon and sensor.In all approaches that incorporate vibration injection, vibrationfrequency may be selected outside the audible range.

In another implementation, orientation degrees of freedom are optionallymeasured by using two or more different approaches. For example, anaccelerometer may be used to determine orientation in two axes andmachine vision is used to determine a bearing orientation in theremaining axis. The determinations are fused, and the fused resultprovides the complete 3-axis solution.

Thus a spatial determining system is used to determine the relativeorientations and required transformations between multiple teleoperatedsystem units in order to establish and maintain the required user'sintuitive perception of control alignment between hand-operated mastercontrol devices and corresponding tools. Advantageously, onlyorientation information is used to establish and maintain the alignmentsrequired for master/slave control, or orientation information combinedwith less than complete position information is used to establish andmaintain the alignments required for master/slave control.

5. Further Implementations

Many implementations have been described in terms of a telesurgicalsystem, but it should be understood that inventive aspects are notlimited to telesurgical systems. Implementations in various otherteleoperated systems are contemplated. For example, aspects may beimplemented in teleoperated systems with military applications (e.g.,bomb disposal, reconnaissance, operations under enemy fire), researchapplications (e.g., marine submersibles, earth-orbiting satellites andmanned stations), material handling applications (e.g., nuclear “hotcell” or other hazardous materials), emergency response (e.g., searchand rescue, firefighting, nuclear reactor investigation), unmannedground vehicles (e.g., agricultural, manufacturing, mining,construction), and the like.

1. A teleoperated system comprising: a display; a master input device; and a control system comprising one or more processors and a memory, the memory comprising programmed instructions adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining an orientation of an end-effector reference frame relative to a field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame moveable relative to the field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame being defined for an end effector of a tool, and the field-of-view reference frame being defined for a field of view of an imaging device, determining an orientation of an input-device reference frame relative to a display reference frame, the input-device reference frame being defined for the master input device, and the display reference frame being defined for an image displayed by the display, establishing a first alignment relationship, the first alignment relationship comprising an end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship or an input-device-to-display alignment relationship, wherein the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship is between the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame and independent of a position relationship between the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame, and wherein the input-device-to-display alignment relationship is between the input-device reference frame and the display reference frame and independent of a position relationship between the input-device reference frame and the display reference frame, and commanding, based on the first alignment relationship, a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device.
 2. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the first alignment relationship comprises the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship.
 3. The teleoperated system of claim 2, wherein: the operations further comprise: establishing a second alignment relationship, the second alignment relationship comprising the input-device-to-display alignment relationship; and commanding the change in the pose of the end effector is further based on the second alignment relationship.
 4. The teleoperated system of claim 3, wherein the orientation of the input-device reference frame relative to the display reference frame is a first relative orientation and the orientation of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame is a second relative orientation, wherein the first relative orientation differs from the second relative orientation by a difference, and wherein the operations further comprise: updating the second alignment relationship multiple times to gradually reduce the difference.
 5. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the first alignment relationship comprises the input-device-to-display alignment relationship.
 6. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the pose of the end effector is relative to the field-of-view reference frame; wherein the pose of the master input device is relative to the display reference frame; and wherein the change in the pose of the end effector includes: a change in an orientation of the end effector relative to the field-of-view reference frame corresponding to a change in an orientation of the master input device relative to the display reference frame.
 7. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: establishing a teleoperated master-slave control relationship based on the first alignment relationship.
 8. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein determining the orientation of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame comprises: determining a complete orientation of the field-of-view reference frame, and determining a complete orientation of the end-effector reference frame; and wherein determining an orientation of the input-device reference frame relative to the display reference frame comprises: determining a complete orientation of the display reference frame, and determining a complete orientation of the input-device reference frame.
 9. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the programmed instructions are not adapted to cause the one or more processors to: determining a complete position of at least one reference frame selected from the group consisting of: the field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame, the display reference frame, and the input-device reference frame; or determining a complete position of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame; or determining a complete position of the input-device reference frame relative to the display reference frame.
 10. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: determining less than a complete position of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame; or determining less than a complete position of the input-device reference frame relative to the display reference frame.
 11. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein: the teleoperated system is a teleoperated medical system; the tool is a medical tool; the teleoperated system further comprises a manipulator arm configured to removably support the tool, the manipulator arm comprising a plurality of joints and a plurality of links; and commanding the change in the pose of the end effector comprises commanding the manipulator arm to change the pose of the end effector.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein establishing the first alignment relationship comprises: establishing the first alignment relationship in response to an indication to begin teleoperation.
 14. (canceled)
 15. (canceled)
 16. (canceled)
 17. The teleoperated system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise updating the first alignment relationship by: updating the first alignment relationship while commanding a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device; or updating the first alignment relationship at a predetermined time interval.
 18. (canceled)
 19. A method for operating a medical system comprising: determining an orientation of an end-effector reference frame relative to a field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame moveable relative to the field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame being defined for an end effector of a tool, and the field-of-view reference frame being defined for a field of view of an imaging device; determining an orientation of an input-device reference frame relative to a display reference frame, the input-device reference frame being defined for a master input device of the medical system, and the display reference frame being defined for a display of the medical system; establishing a first alignment relationship, the first alignment relationship comprising an end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship or an input-device-to-display alignment relationship, wherein the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship is between the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame and independent of a position relationship between the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame, and wherein the input-device-to-display alignment relationship is between the input-device reference frame and the display reference frame and independent of a position relationship between the input-device reference frame and the display reference frame; and commanding, based on the first alignment relationship, a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device.
 20. (canceled)
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first alignment relationship comprises the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship, the method further comprising: establishing a second alignment relationship, the second alignment relationship comprising the input-device-to-display alignment relationship, wherein commanding the change in the pose of the end effector is further based on the second alignment relationship.
 22. (canceled)
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the orientation of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame comprises: determining a complete orientation of the field-of-view reference frame, and determining a complete orientation of the end-effector reference frame; and wherein determining the orientation of an input-device reference frame relative to a display reference frame comprises: determining a complete orientation of the display reference frame, and determining a complete orientation of the input-device reference frame.
 24. The method of claim 19, further comprising: determining a less than complete position of at least one reference frame selected from the group consisting of: the field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame, the display reference frame, and the input-device reference frame; or determining less than a complete position of the end-effector reference frame relative to the field-of-view reference frame; or determining less than a complete position of the input-device reference frame relative to the display reference frame.
 25. (canceled)
 26. (canceled)
 27. (canceled)
 28. (canceled)
 29. A teleoperated system comprising: a display, a display reference frame being defined for the display; a master device, a master-device reference frame being defined for the master device; and a control system comprising a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the control system, cause the control system to perform operations comprising: determining a complete orientation of a field-of-view reference frame defined for a field of view of an imaging device; determining a complete orientation of an end-effector reference frame defined for an end effector of a tool; determining a complete orientation of the display reference frame; determining a complete orientation of the master-device reference frame; establishing a teleoperated master/slave control relationship between the master device and the end effector by establishing a first alignment relationship, the first alignment relationship comprising an end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship or a master-device-to-display alignment relationship, wherein the end-effector-to-field-of-view alignment relationship is between the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame and is based on less than complete position information relating the end-effector reference frame and the field-of-view reference frame, and wherein the master-device-to-display alignment relationship is between the master-device reference frame and the display reference frame, wherein the first alignment relationship between the master-device reference frame and the display reference frame being is based on less than complete position information relating the master-device reference frame and the display reference frame; and executing the master/slave control relationship between the master device and the end effector by changing a pose of the end effector corresponding to a change in a pose of the master device.
 30. The teleoperated system of claim 29, wherein the pose of the end effector is relative to the field-of-view reference frame; wherein the pose of the master device is relative to the display reference frame; and wherein the change in the pose of the end effector includes: a change in an orientation of the end effector relative to the field-of-view reference frame corresponding to a change in an orientation of the master device relative to the display reference frame.
 31. The teleoperated system of claim 29, wherein the teleoperated system is a telesurgical system comprising: the imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises an endoscopic camera; the tool, wherein the tool comprises a surgical tool comprising the end effector a manipulator arm configured to removably support the tool, the manipulator arm comprising a plurality of joints and a plurality of links, wherein changing the pose of the end effector comprises using the manipulator arm to change the pose of the end effector.
 32. The teleoperated system of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise determining partial position information of at least one reference frame, the reference frame selected from the group consisting of: the field-of-view reference frame, the end-effector reference frame, the display reference frame, and the master-device reference frame.
 33. The teleoperated system of claim 29, wherein changing a pose of the end effector corresponding to a change in a pose of the master device comprises: changing a direction of movement of the end effector corresponding to a change in direction of movement of the master device.
 34. (canceled)
 35. (canceled)
 36. (canceled)
 37. The method of claim 19, wherein the first alignment relationship comprises the input-device-to-display alignment relationship. 